


The Peak of Obsession

by cipherine



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: M/M, Raihan has BIG anger issues and is hiding it behind his happy go lucky attitude, don't wanna spoil anything but it's gonna be very nsfw as well as emotional enjoy the ride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:13:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 32,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21565120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cipherine/pseuds/cipherine
Summary: Raihan always knew exactly what he wanted.Win battles, get off on the attention, have sex -Whoring around was his lifestyle, and he was greatly enjoying himself.But he hadn't expected himself to get this angry over not getting something for once.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan/Nezu | Piers, Kibana | Raihan/Nezu | Piers, Raihan/Leon, piers/raihan
Comments: 148
Kudos: 769





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文-普通话 國語 available: [癡迷極峰 (原作：The Peak of Obsession by cipherine）](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22764802) by [Someone1433](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Someone1433/pseuds/Someone1433)



> Hhhhh I'm in Pokemon SW/SH shipping hell  
> How the fuck did this happen.... 
> 
> Anyways Raihan/Leon is very, very good. Hope you don't mind that I'm also throwing Piers in there too. This is gonna be a longer fic but idk how many chapters I feel like writing. I want to focus on Raihan as a character mostly. 
> 
> I thought it would be interesting if his happy, always-smiling attitude was just a facade.  
> Hope you're gonna enjoy my take on him!
> 
> -

* * *

As much as Raihan hated losing to Leon, the battles gave him a certain kick.  
  
A dirty kind of kick.  
  
He always needed to get off as quickly as possible after leaving the battlefield. And of course, he was always thinking about Leon. About how badly he wanted to put this cocky, sexy little shit in his place. fuck his mouth and ass until there would be nothing but cum all over the champions body.  
  
Maybe it was just his way of coping with the anger that came with every lost battle. He didn’t know, and he didn’t care. Who gave a fuck about psychological reasons for wanting to fuck someone.  
  
His attraction was nothing but sexual. Raihan was, pretty much, a slut. He slept around a lot. Mainly with Piers, sometimes with Nessa, sometimes with random strangers. He was cautious, of course, because sleeping with fans could cause a lot of problems. That’s why Piers and Nessa were his most valuable options, but if Raihan loved anything in bed, then it was variety. Main reason why he wasn’t in a relationship.  
  
Some of his fans were a little too perceptive, so there were a lot of rumors about him already. When he’s asked in interviews, he simply says he’s waiting for the ‚right person’ to come along, but that was blatant lie. He wasn’t waiting for anyone. All he wanted was as much sex with as many different people he could possibly have. The downsides of being famous. But somehow he was still able to not get caught. He loved attention more than anything, and it bugged him that he couldn’t just post nudes with his face showing, or fuck random fans he thinks are pretty. But well, one couldn’t have everything, right?

 _One especially can’t have Leon,_ Raihan thought, gritting his teeth. 

Leon never talked about his relationships or his sex life. No one really knew anything - it was quite the mystery. Did he even _have_ a sex life? Hadhe ever been in a relationship? Leon was very good at avoiding the topic completely.

It’s not like Raihan had _always_ beenthis horny for Leon. He didn’t know anymore when exactly it had started. But it’s gotten worse. Bad enough for him to start avoiding the champ. Bad enough to still think about fucking him when he was having sex with others. It was slowly turning into an unhealthy obsession.

And the last fucking thing he needed was Leon confronting him about it.  
  
  
They were watching an exhibition fight between Bea and Allister. Raihan actually wouldn’t bother watching these, but he had a reputation and an instagram account to properly manage, so of course he always showed up to take pics and live-tweet about it. For whatever reason, Leon was there too, and since all the gym leaders as well as the champ were usually watching from the VIP lounge, it wasn’t really possible to avoid him.  
  
He’d noticed Leon staring at him across the room, like he had something to say. Raihan wasn’t up for this kind of bullshit, so he put on his usual smug-happy smile and waved at Leon. He sure wouldn’t hide like a coward just because he couldn’t control his own dick.  
  
„Hey champ, how’s it hangin’?“ He asked, grinning widely.  
  
He didn’t like Leon’s expression one bit. He’d expected Leon to smile and greet him, but no, he looked _concerned_.  
  
„I’ve been wanting to talk to you,“ the champ said, and Raihan wanted nothing more than to disappear on the spot, because he knew exactly where this was going.  
  
But he kept his smile up and tilted his head.  
„Yeah? What about? Y’know I have a phone, right… If you need something you could’ve called me.“  
  
Leon sighed.  
„This isn’t something I wanted to discuss over the phone,“ He said, his voice low, trying to keep it down so others wouldn’t eavesdrop on the conversation.  
  
„Ooooh. Serious vibes. I’m getting real scared, dude,“ Raihan laughed. In his head, everything screamed for Leon to fucking stop talking, to just pretend everything was normal.  
  
„You’ve been avoiding me.“  
There it was.  
Raihan died a little inside, out of sheer annoyance.  
  
He tried his best giving Leon a convincing surprised expression.  
„Uh, what? Why would I avoid you?“ He asked, feigning innocence.  
  
„Sorry, Raihan, but are you trying to tell me you aren’t? We’ve barely really talked outside the battlefield in months now. What happened?“ Leon asked.  
  
„Yeah, sorry, but someone has to beat your ass one day, so I gotta use my free time to train my Pokemon,“ Raihan answered, „Not everyone has the champion privilege of hardly needing to train.“  
  
„Now you’re just being rude,“ Leon said, raising an eyebrow, „I train plenty. But still. That’s not what I mean. You can’t be just training all the time. Why aren’t you going out with us after the final battles anymore? You’re starting to act like Piers.“  
  
Which was immensely funny to Raihan in that moment, because Piers and him were busy fucking each other after pretty much every final battle.

„Hey now, don’t shit-talk Piers, he’s trying his best,“ Raihan said, shaking his head, „And I just didn’t feel like going. What, do you miss me that badly?“ He asked, smiling sweetly.  
  
Leon seemed annoyed.  
„You’re acting weird. Rai, we used to be really good friends… Now it feels like I don’t even really know you anymore. What happened?“  
  
„Nothing. Stop overthinking. If you wanna hang out that badly, then let’s go after this battle,“ Raihan suggested, hating himself for it, but he couldn’t run away any longer,  
„There’s a new bar near the main square. People told me they have really cool looking drinks based on Pokemon types, so I wanted to go there anyways.“  
  
Leon was still staring at him with the same serious expression. Then he sighed.  
„Sorry,“ He said, „I kinda started this conversation the wrong way, didn’t I? I didn’t want to come off as angry or anything. Drinks are on me.“  
  
This was going to be a very, very uncomfortable evening. But Raihan flashed a bright smile, hitting Leon on the back.  
„Seriously, you need to stop worrying so much! So, just the two of us?“  
  
Leon smiled a little.  
„Yeah, just the two of us. Like old times.“

* * *

  
  
Years ago, he would’ve had so much fun. The time of his life. Leon was a good guy, and he really, really appreciated him as a friend. _God_ , he did. He’d missed being able to just chat with him like that, to throw out some stupid jokes, to mock him for his horrendous fashion choices and take stupid selfies with him.  
  
But as expected, he wasn’t able to just focus on the good things.  
  
He wasn’t able to concentrate at all, and with every delicious and funny looking drink, it just got worse. He should’ve left about an hour ago, but he was still here with Leon around 1 am. He wasn’t completely drunk, he was still very aware of his surroundings and of what he was saying, but it was starting to get a little dangerous.  
  
Leon seemed to be happy, not noticing Raihan’s struggles at all. He also seemed a little more drunk than him. Good for Raihan, because that way Leon hopefully wouldn’t notice the way he was sometimes staring at Leon’s ass, or trying to avoid looking into his eyes and getting stuck on his beautiful lips instead. His urges were getting stronger with every minute, and with every fucking stupid thing Leon said. Getting his dick hard over someone’s innocent stupidity sure was a new low for him.  
  
At this point, he was considering texting Piers if he was still up for something tonight.  
  
„Y’know Rai,“ Leon said, smiling, „You’ve really gotten a lot stronger. That last battle was incredible.“  
  
Raihan really, really didn’t want to hear this.  
„Thanks~“ He said anyways, grinning like always, keeping up his mask.  
„Sorry for saying you barely train, by the way. Like, of course you do. Otherwise I would have destroyed you long ago.“  
  
Leon laughed a little, taking a sip from his drink. He’d tried a few different type-themed drinks, but, much to Raihan’s amusement, seemed to like the dragon one best.

„I really missed talking to you like this…“ Leon said, looking a little nostalgic.  
Raihan swallowed hard. _Fuck no, don’t get emotional now…!_

„Silly boy. Ya could’ve always called me!“ Raihan said, laughing.  
  
„It’s… it’s not that easy,“ Leon argued, „I thought you started hatin’ me or somethin’…“  
  
„Oh, this again. You’re really overthinking things.“  
Raihan felt very, very uncomfortable.  
  
Then Leon flashed the biggest smile at him and said,  
„I’m so glad. You’re still the best rival I could ever have!“  
  
Raihan almost flinched.  
For some reason, anger started to rise within him. He wasn’t sure why.  
  
„H-hahah. Thanks. Ah, excuse me dude, I gotta use the bathroom,“ He said quickly, jumping up from his seat and leaving a kind of confused champ behind.  
  
He went to the bathroom and locked himself in a stall.  
„Fuck,“ he cursed.  
Why was he angry? And goddamnit, why was he horny as fuck at the same time?!

He knew he couldn’t get off quickly enough right now to not raise any suspicion, so he was glad he wasn’t completely hard just from spending a little too much time with Leon.  
  
He looked at his messages.  
  
__1:32 Piers  
Sorry man, ain’t in the mood. Maybe friday tho, if you’re free  
  
  
God fucking damnit.  
He needed some excuse to go home.

  
But when he returned to Leon with the plan of telling him that he’d just thrown up and felt sick, Leon had already ordered the next drink for him.

„Haha… I see what you did there,“ He said, trying really hard not to roll his eyes at the fairy-themed drink in front of him.  
  
„You gotta,“ Leon demanded, laughing at him.  
  
„I ain’t running away from a challenge,“ Raihan said, grinning.  
  
Bad, bad. Very bad. He shouldn’t drink anymore. He should go home…

But he didn’t go home.  
It was like he was trying to torture himself. He was barely listening anymore to whatever Leon was talking about. In his mind, he was fucking him in the next shady looking dark alley. He was slowly thrusting his hips, sliding in and out of Leon’s mouth, finally making this idiot shut the fuck up in the only acceptable way...  
  
„Rai?“  
  
„H-huh?“  
Raihan was caught off guard.  
„Sorry, what did you say?“  
  
„I asked if you’re okay,“ Leon said, yawning for a second, „your face is all red.“  
Raihan kind of wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up.  
  
„Just the alcohol,“ he answered instead, „I think I’ve had enough for tonight. Gotta head home at some point.“  
  
„Awww, but we’re having so much fun!“ Leon protested, but he was noticeably starting to have a hard time forming proper sentences.  
  
„Yeah, but—“  
  
„Nooooo… stay— please stay a little longer,“ Leon almost whined. Raihan was pretty sure that this didn’t help with his flushed-face problem.  
God, no, he needed to leave, he _really_ needed to leave!  
  
„I— I’m not feeling so well, okay? Sorry. I’m having trouble sleeping lately,“ He lied, „So I need to fix my sleeping schedule. Can’t pull an all nighter now.“  
  
Leon stared at him. His expression was kind of unreadable in that moment.  
„So something _has_ been bothering you, hm?“ He asked.  
  
Raihan sighed.  
„It’s nothing,“ He said.  
  
_Stop. Please just stop._  
  
„Come on, Rai… You can tell me…“  
  
_Stop!_  
  
„I don’t want to talk about it,“ Raihan said, a little more angry than he wanted to.  
Fuck. No way. He wasn’t going to snap now, he wasn’t going to—  
  
„Raiiii. Why are you like that? I care about you okay, I just—“  
  


„SHUT UP!“  
  
Even the people around them stopped talking for a second, staring at Raihan. He’d been a little too loud.  
But now it was too late.  
His smile was gone.  
  
„Shut the fuck up Leon,“ he hissed, „You’re fucking right, you don’t know me at all. Not anymore. My problems are none of your concern. _Thanks_ for the drinks.“  
  
Without saying another word, he grabbed his hoodie and left as fast as he could. Leon was shouting something, but he didn’t listen. He didn’t care. He sure as hell wouldn’t go back, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to talk to Leon again anytime soon.  
  
He’d fucked up. 


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Learn more about how Raihan ended up the way he is. 
> 
> Also, his rather juicy relationship with Piers.

* * *

  
  
He hated himself. He hated himself so, so fucking much!   
  
„Nngh… Harder…!“ He groaned, biting his lips bloody.   
  
„Slut,“ Piers muttered under his breath, but fulfilled Raihan’s wish and fucked into him harder and faster.   
  
Raihan desperately tried to concentrate on the fact that he was having sex with Piers, not with Leon. But the more he tried, the more his thoughts drifted off.   
  
He was still angry. Very angry, and he didn’t know where this anger was coming from, or how to deal with it even. His first idea had been to let Piers try and fuck these stupid thoughts out of his brain, so he did agree to meeting him Friday, but it obviously wasn’t working.  
  
„Fucking _look at me_ if you want me to give you a good time,“ Piers growled.   
  
Raihan moaned loudly. His body was tense, and he gritted his teeth. He’d asked Piers to be extra rough today, but even like this, it wasn’t enough to really distract him. He managed to look at Piers, but it was noticeable that all it did was piss the dark type Gym Leader off, because he could see very well just how distracted Raihan was.   
  
However, thank god, Piers didn’t say anything and just kept fucking him.   
  
The main reason why Raihan was having trouble getting into it was because he couldn’t fucking imagine himself getting fucked by Leon. Absolutely not. In his mind, it was always _his_ cock inside Leon’s sweet ass. He was a switch, but he couldn’t imagine being a bottom to Leon.   
  
So getting fucked right now didn’t do much for his fantasy.   
  
When Piers came with a strangled moan, Raihan was still far from done.   
Breathing heavily, face flushed, he still avoided looking Piers in the eyes.   
  
Piers needed a moment to calm down, but he still didn’t say a word.   
  
And thank _god_ , Raihan didn’t have to say anything either. Piers pulled out and immediately moved his head between Raihan’s legs, starting to give him a really, really good blowjob. And, of course, Raihan’s thoughts immediately shifted to pretending it was Leon sucking him off, not Piers.   
  
He started shaking.   
How badly he wanted to cum inside Leon’s bratty mouth. How badly he wanted to see Leon swallow it all like a good fucking slut. How _fucking_ badly he wanted to hear him beg for his cock.  
  
Finally, he was able to buck his hips up and cum right into Piers’ mouth, desperately holding back Leon’s name on his lips.

„Aah— Aah, fuck, fuck— Haah…“ He moaned, and Piers was holding still, letting him release every last drop inside his mouth, and swallowing once Raihan was done.   
  
  
Raihan felt his body slowly relax, but he was still gritting his teeth.   
Because all of the anger was still there, and it felt like his mind was screaming.   
  
There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Piers had been quick to get up and grab his cigarettes. After a while, Raihan decided to speak up.   
  
„I’m sorry,“ He said, and genuinely meant it.   
  
„It’s okay,“ Piers said, „I’m just mad I wasn’t able to fuck whoever’s occupying your brain _out_ of your stupid little brain.“   
  
So he’d noticed. Of course he had, because unlike Leon, Piers wasn’t a fucking idiot. 

„I don’t know what to do,“ Raihan muttered. At least he was exhausted and sleepy now. That was a good thing.   
  
„It’s not like you to fall in love,“ Piers mentioned, staring at Raihan.   
  
„What?“ Raihan answered, clearly confused, „I’m not in love. I just want to fuck a certain someone real bad, that’s all…“   
  
„Is that so?“   
  
Raihan gave it a good, long thought. But he didn’t come up with any other conclusion.   
„Yeah. No love. Just the biggest and hardest boner I ever had for someone.“   
  
„Then fuck them. Can’t be that hard with your looks,“ Piers said, exhaling smoke.   
  
Raihan sighed.   
Right. Yeah, actually, Piers _was_ fucking right. He was hot as fuck, how would Leon even be able to resist if he were to seriously try and seduce him? Like he’d ever gotten a fucking ‚No‘ from anyone at all.   
  
_Everyone_ wanted him.   
So why was he so convinced that Leon didn’t?   
  
„I kinda snapped at them,“ Raihan explained, „So I don’t think I’m gonna see them anytime soon.“   
  
He knew exactly what Piers wanted to say, and was grateful that he kept it to himself.   
  
„Mmhm. Well, good luck. Not something I can help you with after all. Just, be honest from the start next time. Just fucking tell me when you’re thinking about someone else,“ Piers demanded, and Raihan kind of felt ashamed. Piers didn’t deserve to be treated like this.   
  
„Sorry, again, I really am…“  
He could barely keep his eyes open anymore.   
  
„Just sleep.“   
  


* * *

  
  
Never before had Raihan ignored his phone that much.   
Leon had tried to call and text him multiple times over the past few days. When he finally checked it, he really wished he didn’t.   
  
_I’m sorry. Please call back. _  
  
What the fuck was he sorry for?   
  
_Come on, talk to me!_

No, he didn’t want to.   
  
_I wanted to invite you to my birthday party. I understand if you don’t want to come but I’d be really happy to see you again_

„Fucking hell!!“ Raihan yelled angrily, actually tossing his phone away. Which didn’t really matter, because of course Rotom saved it. However, instead of floating right back at him, Rotom was smart enough to just lie down at the table across Raihan’s room.   
  
„Thanks,“ Raihan murmured. He sure as hell didn’t show this Pokemon enough appreciation. Especially considering the _things_ it had to see all the time. _And_ take pictures of. Maybe he should consider getting a normal phone instead and stop harassing this poor Pokemon. But Rotom never seemed to mind.   
  
Raihan hated this fucking situation. Leon was supposed to be angry at him. Why was he so goddamn forgiving?! Now he was practically forced to apologize as well and also go to his stupid birthday party!   
  
He sighed deeply.   
He knew he was overreacting. He needed to calm down, and he really needed to apologize to Leon. It wasn’t his right to blame him for anything. It wasn’t Leon’s fault that Raihan couldn’t control neither his attraction nor his anger. 

But what exactly was he supposed to do?   
  
Last night alone he’d gotten off three times to the thought of fucking Leon. He’d looked at some hot pictures of him taken during battle, violently jerking it to his beautiful face, that fiery, proud expression…   
This wasn’t normal anymore, was it?   
Was he going crazy? 

„Rotom? Can you come back here?“ He asked into the room. He was too lazy to get up from the bed.   
  
Rotom obeyed and his phone floated right back to him. When he unlocked the screen, there was something that looked like an error message, and it said:   
_Please do not throw me again!_

Raihan blinked, then he couldn’t help but laugh a bit.   
„Sorry. No, really, I’m sorry Rotom, I won’t do it again,“ He said. Looking at the back of his phone, Rotom’s face kinda looked like it was pouting.   
  
He opened his messages and just stared at them for a good minute.   
Then he tried to type an answer, again, and again, and again. Deleted it, typed something else. Ended up typing the same thing again. Deleting it again.   
  
He didn’t know what to fucking say.   
  
The best thing would be to apologize in person, but at this point, he was afraid of being alone with Leon anywhere.   
  
Finally, he sent,   
_I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said. Thank you for inviting me, I’ll think about it, just give me some alone time okay?  
_

That wasn’t too bad now, was it? There was no point in hiding anymore that he did have a problem with Leon. Was kind of obvious after _that_ night. So he didn’t need to lie about needing to be left alone.  
 _  
So embarrassing._

He’d never wanted to show Leon that aggressive side of his. And he sure as hell didn’t want to show him any more than that. Leon didn’t need to know what a goddamn whore he’d become.   
  
  
Raihan hadn't always been like that. In his early years of becoming a gym leader, he’d been pretty innocent. It was kind of hilarious how he could backtrack the way he'd spiraled into who he was today. It had started with a simple obsession for selfies. Then he’d started using nearly every online platform there was. And that ended up with him getting absolutely addicted, nearly drunk on his online fame. Leon was the champ, but Raihan had triple the amount of Insta and Twitter followers from all over the world, not just from Galar.  
  
He’d started seeing people openly thirst-tweet about him, and it just riled him up even more, making him consider posting lewd stuff for everyone to see. But of course he couldn’t do that, not with him being a responsible gym leader and all.   
  
So he’d started making secret accounts, careful about never showing his face or any of his belongings that could be traced back to him. The first pictures were suggestive at best, but again, he got drunk on fame, and soon enough posting pics of his dick, his bare ass, or even of him fingering himself on a fucking Patreon account had become completely normal for him.   
  
The only one who knew who was behind these accounts was Piers. He never meant to tell him, but he once accidentally sent one of his nudes he'd also posted online to him instead of posting it in an nsfw discord server, and then it turned out that Piers was among his followers. He trusted him though. He was sure Piers wouldn’t tell anyone. Also, if he really were to try and reveal his secrets, Raihan knew much worse things about Piers, including pictures and videos, so they were kinda even in that aspect.   
  
Raihan hadn’t started fucking around in real life before Piers found out. But it had only been a matter of time before they started meeting up to fuck for fun. Then Piers mentioned to him that Nessa was always open for this kind of stuff as well, so that’s how he ended up with another fuckbuddy. And just like his internet fame, it was like a drug, and one could never have enough of a drug. He needed more. Nessa was hot as fuck and Piers was super experienced with absolutely everything, but sometimes Raihan needed other people to satisfy his needs. He often ended up visiting various strip clubs, in disguise of course, paying good money to pick out the hottest strippers for some alone time.   
  
However, he wasn’t going to lie - He was constantly terribly afraid of other people finding out about all this.

Raihan frowned.  
  
He had more than one problem thanks to his internet and sex obsession, and now he was obsessed with fucking Leon. At some point, he was sure, all of this would end very, very badly. But how was he supposed to stop, considering how deep he’d fallen…?

The Gym Leader Raihan was like a different person. Loved by everyone, shining brighter than a shooting star, always smiling, always friendly, never angry about losing a battle. Always supportive of everyone. It was someone he barely recognized anymore.   
  
He only really felt like really being that person when he battled. Any Pokemon battle had the power of making him feel younger again, making him feel that certain kind of nostalgia. Making him remember the day he got his first Pokemon, the day he’d started his journey through the Galar region.   
Yeah, battles made him feel like that, except when he was battling Leon.

  
He closed his eyes.   
Who was he, really?


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthday Party Time :^)
> 
>   
> Fic was renamed! Sorry for that, I didn't like the other title!

* * *

  
  
He ended up going.  
  
Raihan really wanted to apologize to Leon in person. Especially because Leon had very much respected his requests and hadn’t been sending any other messages. Raihan really, really appreciated that. Though, he also kinda hated just how stupidly _nice_ and _perfect_ Leon was.

  
He was a bit late to the party because he wasted a good 30 minutes on taking the perfect selfie for the evening, informing his followers that he was going to celebrate the champs birthday with few others in his private apartment. Just to fuel some jealousy, of course. He chuckled. Sometimes being a little bitch felt kinda good.  
  
He grabbed a carefully wrapped present and finally left.  
It would be rude to show up with empty hands, right?  
  
He’d already traveled to Wyndon the day before, since flying at night was a possibility, but way too cold at this time of the year. He’d spent the night in a hotel, and during the next day he’d been running around in the city, doing some shopping, taking selfies with fans and giving them autographs.  
  
In the evening, before he left for the party, he jerked off as many times as possible in the shower just to make absolutely fucking sure he wouldn’t go feral upon seeing Leon.

He still didn’t really want to go to this party. But he’d at least reached the point of asking himself why.  
These people were his friends. He loved them all, he enjoyed their company.  
When had it all started to annoy him? When had it all started to feel… _fake_?

  
He thought about it long and hard, but didn’t really come to any conclusion upon reaching Leon’s apartment. A lot of people expected him to like, live in a huge mansion or something, but Leon didn’t like those kind of things. It was a simple apartment, not too big either, and very nice for little parties.  
  
Raihan had to admit he felt kind of relieved about the fact that Leon had invited him despite everything. He usually only invited like maybe 10 people to his birthday parties. And like, half of the gym leaders aren’t exactly the type to drink and party, being either too young like Allister, too old like Opal, or too tired like Piers. Not like all of Leon’s friends were gym leaders anyways, but still.  
  
When he rang the doorbell, it was Nessa who opened up for him.  
„There you are. I was refreshing my instagram to see when you’d finally post your selfie, so I could tell the others that you’re on the way,“ she said, smiling at him.  
  
Raihan chuckled.  
„You know me well,“ he complimented her.  
  
She winked, then held the door open.  
„Guys, Raihan is finally here!“ She shouted in the direction of the living room, and Raihan could hear everyone cheering sarcastically. He rolled his eyes, but also smiled. _Idiots._  
  
He hadn’t even checked who else had been invited. He did like a good surprise every now and then. Entering the living room, which was the biggest room in Leon’s apartment, he saw the usual party bunch - Sonia, Bea, Milo and Gordie. Then there were at least two people he didn’t know at all, and the last one he recognized as the Barista from Leon’s favorite Café.  
  
„Thank god you’re here,“ Milo said, „I want him to open the presents already.“  
  
„Why did you wait for me? You know I’m always fashionably late,“ Raihan said, shrugging. He could feel Leon eyeing him from the other side of the room. The champ was currently talking to his Barista friend.  
  
Bea and Sonia made some room on the couch, a signal for Raihan to sit down. He smiled at them, showing off his pointy teeth, and gladly accepted the offer. All the presents for Leon were gathered on the table in front of them, so he just added his own.  
  
„Now that you’re here—“ Sonia started, but Bea immediately cut her off,  
  
„We are absolutely not going to sing.“  
  
Sonia pouted.  
„What’s a birthday without Happy Birthday?“ She complained, but also knew very well that _everyone_ hated singing the stupid song. And Leon most likely didn’t want to hear it either. Because none of them except Sonia could actually sing.  
  
„Yeah, no, let’s have him open the presents instead,“ Gordie said, calling Leon and his friend over.  
  
„Alright, alright,“ Leon said, smiling widely.  
  
Then he looked at Raihan, and Raihan got all tense.  
„Thanks for coming,“ he simply said, and his smile was so warm, so full of forgiveness, so _disgustingly_ pure.  
  
_Why am I… getting angry again…?_  
  
But despite everything, he smiled right back, giving Leon a reassuring thumbs up. It was all okay. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.  
  
Leon started to unwrap one present after another. As always, they ranged from creative and useful to presents that were meant to make fun of him in some way. Either way, everyone had put in some effort.

Nessa and Sonia had put their heads together to design a really cool Charizard hoodie for him, Bea came up with some special training weights, Milo had managed to get a rare cap that wasn’t in Leon’s collection yet, and Gordie - being Gordie - handed him a mug that just said „World’s Okayest Champion“. He then also added though that his mom was inviting Leon to a five-course dinner, and everyone knew that Melony’s cooking was to die for.  
  
Finally, Leon was about to open Raihan’s present.  
Raihan wondered whether he went a little over the top with getting that.  
  
It was small, and everyone was very curious. Once Leon had carefully removed the wrapping, he blinked.  
It was a dark red little box.  
  
„Open it already, I’m dying a little here,“ Raihan complained, shooting Leon an encouraging smile.  
  
Leon opened it and suddenly his mouth was wide open.  
„Oh my god, you didn’t,“ he breathed out.  
  
„Wait, what is it? Show us!“ Nessa demanded, eyes big with curiosity.  
  
Inside the box was a badge in shape of a flame. But this wasn’t just any badge.  
  
„Is this… this is the real deal isn’t it? Of course it is. Holy shit, Rai, how did you—“  
  
„Worldwide connections, dude. The internet can do some wonders,“ Raihan said, grinning.  
  
„Wait, is this a gym badge?“ Milo asked, seriously confused.  
  
„Yeah,“ Leon answered, and it was kinda cute how honestly happy he was about this present, „This is a _real_ Volcano Badge from the Kanto region. This gym doesn’t even exist anymore. It was destroyed a long time ago. For some time, the gym leader offered to still battle him in a different location, but a while ago he retired. Ever since people have been selling their Volcano Badges for ridiculously high prices.“  
  
Knowing Leon for a long time, Raihan had been listening to the story of Cinnabar Island and it’s mysterious gym leader quite a few times. Leon was a little obsessed with fire type gym leaders from all over the world, but it was impossible for him to get their badges without traveling there to battle them, because selling badges that were still official was obviously illegal.

  
„Raihan, seriously, thank you,“ Leon said, and again, his smile was too fucking pure. It felt like Raihan was blinded by something.  
  
„Happy Birthday,“ He simply replied.  
  
He was glad, because he was holding up pretty good. This wasn’t so bad. Maybe he could… fix things between them. Getting that rare badge had been a very good idea after all. Even if it had cost him a lot of money.

  
The rest of the party was immensely enjoyable. They were playing card- and video games, always making the losers of every round take a shot of course, and Raihan was greatly enjoying himself. It didn’t even seem like Leon felt uncomfortable around him or anything. He seemed genuinely happy to have him here.  
  
Maybe Raihan had been worrying too much.  
  
  
But with more time passing, it all repeated itself.  
  
His thoughts wandered off to dirty stuff once again. Again, he caught himself staring at Leon’s lips and not paying attention when someone was talking to him. And again, he could feel himself become more and more uncomfortable with the situation.  
  
He hated it. He hated it so much. Why couldn’t he just enjoy a stupid party like a normal fucking person?!

It was around 3 am that the only ones left were Sonia, Nessa, Raihan and Leon. Raihan was, admittedly, quite drunk at this point. He should’ve left long ago, but the reason he stayed was because he hadn’t had a chance yet to apologize to Leon. He was starting to get nervous. He didn’t want to go home without an apology.  
  
So the next time Leon left for the kitchen, Raihan just got up and followed him. Nessa and Sonia didn’t even really notice, they were drunk as fuck and giggling about god knows what.

He almost ran into Leon when he entered the kitchen.  
  
„Oh,“ Leon said, „Did you want another drink? Should’ve told me.“  
  
Raihan, suddenly really feeling the alcohol in his veins, just blinked, then shook his head.  
„I… uh…“ He started, but fuck, somehow Leon’s face was really fascinating, what exactly did he come here for again…?  
  
„What?“ Leon asked.  
  
Oh, right. Raihan remembered.  
„S-sorry. For the other day, y’know, when we went to that bar. I didn’t mean it,“ he blurted out.

  
Leon seemed confused. He put the glasses he was holding back on the table. 

„I know, Raihan, you already apologized for that,“ he said.  
  
„But— but like, not in real life,“ Raihan argued.  
  
Leon laughed.  
„It’s okay, man. I’m not mad. I’m just glad you’re here today. I had a lot of fun and it wouldn’t have been the same without you.“  
  
Raihan felt a little dizzy. He was unable to properly look at Leon.  
„I… still… umm…“  
  
Suddenly, Leon pulled him into a hug.  
Raihan flinched, his eyes widening.  
  
Too close.  
Way too close.  
  
„It’s okay. I won’t ask. Can we just go back to normal?“ Leon asked, smiling gently at him.  
  
But _Raihan.exe_ had completely stopped working.  
There _was_ no going back to normal.  
  
He knew he was about to make a terrible mistake, but it didn’t stop him from moving his hand to the back of Leon’s head, leaning down and giving him the little push needed to close the distance. He wasn’t sure anymore whether this was one of his little fantasies or the real thing.  
  
He was kissing Leon.  
After all this time of fantasizing about it, he was finally kissing him. It felt incredible. Absolutely incredible. The feeling of finally having a taste of what he’d wanted so badly was overwhelming. And just like any other of his obsessions, he very, very quickly wanted more.  
  
Without thinking, without reading Leon’s reaction, his desires completely took over and he pushed Leon - a little too roughly, maybe - against the kitchen unit. Everything was happening too fast for himself to even process. He instinctively shoved his knee between Leon’s legs one moment, and the next he was sinking his teeth into his rival’s neck. Fuck _, this_ was it. This was everything he’d ever dreamed of, but _better_ , because it was real.  
  
Until he finally noticed that Leon was struggling against him.  
  
He immediately pulled back, looking at Leon’s face, and all he got was a shocked, confused expression.  
„Fuck— Fuck,“ he stuttered, stepping away from Leon and almost stumbling over his own feet, „Why— Why didn’t you—“  
  
Leon was breathing heavily. He was clearly unable to process what exactly just happened.  
„Why didn’t I _what?_ “ He asked, and his tone was very serious.  
  
„Why didn’t you say anything! I would have stopped— No, I wouldn’t even have— Fuck, Leon, I…“  
He almost yelled, desperately trying to defend himself.  
He’d just ruined absolutely everything, hadn’t he?  
  
„Raihan, I told you to stop in the first three seconds after you kissed me, you didn’t fucking listen!“ Leon answered. His face was flushed. Fucking beautiful, but now really wasn’t the time for Raihan to get hard.  
  
„Y-you did…?“ Raihan asked, confused as fuck. He hadn’t noticed anything. He slowly took another step back. He was absolutely ready to run.  
  
  
But Leon grabbed his arm before he could take another step.  
  
„Don’t,“ He said, „Don’t just leave like last time. Is this it? Is this what your problem with me is? You have a crush on me?“  
  
No.  
He just wanted to fuck his stupid brains out.

Raihan was starting to feel dizzier and dizzier.  
„No… No, that’s not…“  
He had to grab the handle of the fridge in order to not fall over.  
  
„Raihan, I’m not mad at you, I just wish you’d be fucking honest,“ Leon said.  
  
Raihan groaned. His head hurt.  
„You… you have no fucking idea— I— God, just let me go, for fucks sake, you don’t know what you’re saying! I—“  
  
He was unable to finish his sentence, because he suddenly blacked out for a moment, and once he could see again, he felt like throwing up. Leon cursed, quickly at least helping Raihan to reach the sink so he wouldn’t throw up on the floor. Raihan was shaking, and there were hints of tears in his eyes.

  
He couldn’t remember anything that happened after, at all.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He'd made a terrible mistake. 
> 
> Or maybe not?

* * *

  
  
Raihan’s first thought when he woke up was that he still felt fucking sick. The next was the realization of not being in his hotel room. He knew where he was, though. This was Leon’s room.  
  
He was lying in Leon’s bed.  
  
He shivered a little. He didn’t know how it was fucking humanly possible to be this horny for someone, considering that he still felt sick to his stomach, but all he could think about was enjoying the bedsheets that smelled like Leon, and thinking about the fact that he’d been sleeping in a bed where Leon—  
  
 _Fuck, stop!_  
He mentally yelled at himself. Stop. He needed to stop right there.

He needed to sort his thoughts.  
He’d obviously gotten himself into a fucking mess.  
  
Where was Leon, anyways?  
What fucking time was it?

And what had _happened_ last night?  
  
Oh, there was an alarm clock on the nightstand. And his Pokeballs next to it. It was almost 3 pm.  
  
Raihan groaned, trying to get up. He noticed that he was shirtless, but before his mind could trick him into getting hot and bothered about it, he suddenly remembered - mostly from the taste still lingering in his mouth - that he’d thrown up the night before. So _that_ was most likely why Leon had removed his shirt.  
  
He barely dared to open the door, but he didn’t exactly have another choice. He was familiar with Leon’s apartment. He decided to go to the bathroom first. He felt gross and wanted a quick shower. That way, if Leon was somewhere in the apartment, he’d also hear that Raihan was awake.  
  
Once he’d showered, he used some of Leon’s mouthrinse to finally get rid of the disgusting taste left from last night. Then he went for the living room.  
  
And there he was, sitting on the couch, busy checking his phone.  
When Leon noticed Raihan and looked up at him, his expression was… concerned.  
  
Raihan wanted to punch him. Why couldn’t this idiot just be angry for once?!

„Feeling any better?“ Leon asked, putting his phone on the table in front of him.  
  
Raihan gritted his teeth.  
„Nope. I feel terrible,“ he whined, „Bad headache.“

„Need any painkillers?“ 

„Maybe. Why am I even still here? I thought I got back to the hotel somehow,“ Raihan said, frowning. He really couldn’t remember much.  
  
„Oh,“ Leon said.  
  
Raihan didn’t like this reaction one bit.  
„What?“  
  
„You… you don’t remember?“ Leon asked.  
  
Raihan swallowed hard. Why was Leon avoiding his eyes, like he was embarrassed about something? What was he talking about?  
  
 _Please, for the love of god, don’t say we had sex and that I forgot about it…!_  
„What am I supposed to remember?“  
  
Leon sighed, taking his sweet time to look for the right words.  
But then he shook his head, like he realized that there were no right words for this.  
„You kissed me.“  
  
Raihan stared at him. Then blinked in confusion.  
„What?“  
  
„I’m not gonna say that again,“ Leon said, „You heard it.“  
  
  
And Raihan remembered. No, actually, he’d never forgotten. He’d just been absolutely convinced that this had been one of his dirty little dreams.   
Fuck. He needed an excuse, a way out of this situation.  
  
„Hah— Hahah! Sorry man, I didn’t think you’d feel so embarrassed about that. Never kissed a guy before, huh?“ Raihan said, laughing a little.  
  
 _Just act like you always do…!_  
  
But Leon didn’t look like he was buying it.  
„That _wasn’t_ just a little peck on the lips, Rai! And the way you reacted after— I— Goddamnit, can you just be honest with me? Do you have a crush on me or not?“  
  


Keeping the smile up was getting harder and harder. His mind had started to drift off to the exact scene that had happened the night before. Leon’s lips… The heat. He’d been practically grinding against his body already. He’d been so close— so fucking close…  
  
  
„You don’t know anything,“ Raihan answered, and with that, his smile was gone. He was looking away. Mainly because he was afraid he’d just pounce on Leon if he’d look into his beautiful golden eyes one more time.

„Raihan…“  
  
Leon got up from the couch and came closer, but Raihan quickly took a step back.  
  
„I’m serious. You don’t know shit, Leon. Now if I could borrow a shirt from you so I can leave, that’d be nice.“  
  
He didn’t want to make yet another mistake. In his mind, everything was yelling at him to just push Leon on the couch and fuck him, right here, right now.  
  
„If that’s what you really want. You could also, y’know, explain things to me,“ Leon suggested. He was standing in front of his rival, and Raihan would have mocked him for not nearly being as tall as he was, but well, he had other problems.  
  
„I am _not_ going to explain anything. Just forget about it,“ Raihan said, gritting his teeth.  
He was starting to get annoyed. Very, very annoyed.

  
„What are you so afraid of?“ Leon asked, frowning.  
  
„Leon,“ Raihan said, and suddenly his voice had a dark, warning tone, „If you don’t shut up right now, you’re gonna regret it.“

It felt like Leon was trying to stare into his soul, while he was still avoiding even looking at his face. Any more of this and he’d throw away his morals.  
  
„Then make me regret it,“ Leon said, „There’s nothing I’d regret more than losing my best friend.“  
  
And that was it.  
Raihan’s hands had been shaking already, but now he could feel a wave of anger come over him. It was like his blood was suddenly boiling.

He hated him so much. He hated his perfect personality, his beautiful face, he hated the way Leon was just better than him at fucking everything, not just Pokemon battles. He hated that Leon wasn’t… more like him.  
  
Mistakes, so many mistakes.  
  
He grabbed Leon by the waist, who flinched, but didn’t do anything when Raihan roughly pulled him closer. Raihan kissed Leon, and it was a desperate, almost violent kiss. With one hand in Leon’s hair, he made sure that his rival couldn’t move away.  
  
But Leon didn’t even seem to _want_ to move away.

When Raihan finally broke the kiss, breathing heavily and half-opening his eyes, he couldn’t help but stare. Leon’s expression was something directly taken from his horniest dreams. His face was a beautiful shade of red, and despite looking a tad scared, his glimmering golden eyes just told Raihan one word —  
 _More._

Raihan swallowed hard.  
„Why aren’t you… fighting me?“  
  
„I never… said I wasn’t interested,“ Leon said, exhaling shakily.  
  
 _Fuck._  
Like he could hold back any longer.

  
He immediately started kissing him again, and this time he didn’t waste any time with shoving his tongue in Leon’s mouth. He heard Leon sigh, saw him closing his eyes. The champ was clearly enjoying this.  
  
For real?  
Would it have always been _this_ fucking easy to get into his pants?

Raihan had barely done anything at all and could already feel his dick getting hard. He’d wanted this for far too long to stop now, or even hold back. Their tongues touched, over and over again, until Leon flinched a little because Raihan’s sharp teeth had almost scraped him. Raihan grinned, breaking the kiss — a fine line of saliva still connecting their mouths.  
  
„How experienced are you?“ He asked, staring at Leon the way a hunter would stare at their prey.  
  
Leon was panting, but he managed to answer,  
„Enough. Just— Just do it.“  
  
Raihan cursed under his breath.  
„ _Fuck_ , Leon, you can’t just _say_ that. I won’t fucking stop,“ he said.  
  
„Then don’t,“ Leon muttered, and this time it was him that pulled Raihan into another kiss while resting his hands on the other’s bare chest.  
  
Raihan was too far gone. All of his horny dreams were about to come true, and there was no room in his mind for thinking about their friendship, what used to be, or what could be. He wanted to push Leon towards the couch, but then Leon broke the kiss again and stuttered,  
„B-Bedroom.“  
  
„Got lube there?“ Raihan asked.  
  
Leon just nodded, avoiding looking at him. Like he was ashamed to admit it. What was there to be ashamed of? Not that Raihan would understand. God, he didn’t even have the patience to get to the bedroom, but whatever.  
  
They barely made it there anyways, unable to stop kissing and touching each other on the way.

  
Finally, Raihan practically threw Leon onto the bed and started to undress him. It’s not like he hadn’t seen him at least shirtless before - and that alone would actually be enough to get him off - but he needed more. He needed to feel Leon’s skin, his muscles, his ass. it didn’t take very long until both of them were left in boxers only, and Raihan licked his lips.  
  
„S-slow down a bit,“ Leon said. He was a bit overwhelmed with how… possessive Raihan was acting.  
  
„I’m fucking _trying_ ,“ Raihan growled, and then he attacked Leon’s neck, kissing and biting him. Leaving marks where marks should be.

„Ah— Aah… Raihan…!“

Leon’s moans made Raihan go crazy, if he wasn’t crazy already. He accidentally bit down a little too hard, almost drawing blood, and Leon made a whining sound, something he couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams.  
  
Before Leon could say another thing, Raihan’s hand was down the other’s boxers, feeling him up and starting to slowly stroke his cock. It didn’t take much time at all to turn Leon into a complete mess, moaning and moving his hips to meet Raihan’s touch. Soon enough, Leon was about as hard as Raihan had been in the first few minutes. Good thing that Raihan was experienced with edging himself for hours, so he didn’t mind focusing on Leon first rather than himself.  
  
„Fuck— Raihan—“ Leon moaned his name again. It send a hot shiver down Raihan’s spine.  
  
„Enjoying yourself, huh?“ Raihan said, grinning widely, „I always knew you were a little slut behind all that invincible attitude… Wanna know what big, cocky mouths like yours are good for?“  
  
He moved back a bit, finally pulling down his boxers as well to free his rock-hard cock. He was kneeling on the bed, looking down at Leon.  
„They are good for _sucking_. So be a good boy and get to it.“

Leon’s face was a beautiful shade of red. He wasn’t used to getting dirty talked and dominated on this level. Staring at Raihan’s huge dick, definitely bigger than what he’d expected, he swallowed hard. He’d always been aware that Raihan was attractive, but now he was painfully aware of it.

He hesitated, but then he decided to obey. He went for Raihan’s dick with his hands first, stroking him a little, but Raihan’s intense stare made him feel a certain… pressure. So he moved his head down between Raihan’s legs and started to lick him. Raihan exhaled a moan, immediately grabbing a fistful of Leon’s hair just to keep him in place. 

Leon shivered. He didn’t want to seem weak, but it was like Raihan had erased his dignity.

„You look so fucking good,“ Raihan groaned, „You’d look even better with my cum all over your pretty face…“

  
A moan escaped Leon— he was incredibly turned on from the way Raihan was talking to him, and then he leaned forward, taking as much of his cock in his mouth as his experience allowed. Raihan started to moan, clearly having a hard time holding himself back so he wouldn’t just thrust into Leon’s mouth. Leon was drooling around his dick, and Raihan had never seen anything sexier in his life.

„That’s a good boy…“ Raihan moaned, and somehow, it made Leon all the more eager to please.  
He almost desperately rubbed his tongue over Raihan’s cock while bobbing his head back and forth. He glanced up at Raihan, and the expression he saw could’ve easily made him cum if he’d be touching himself at the same time. Fuck, he looked so _hot_. Like a fucking pornstar.

„Mmh…!“  
The whining sound Leon made convinced Raihan to pull back.  
  
„Got something to say?“ He asked. The grin on his face was almost unnaturally wide.  
  
„Rai— Please—“  
  
„Yes?“  
  
Breathing heavily, Leon looked up at him,  
„Fuck me. Please…“  
  
 _Dear fucking god._ Raihan could’ve cum in that very moment.  
  
  
„The lube,“ he said, voice low and husky, „ _Where_?“  
  
Leon, deeply flushed, reached for the nightstand drawer. Not a place where you would hide something, but he didn’t exactly have something to hide since he was living alone. He wanted to hand it to Raihan, but Raihan tilted his head, grinning.  
  
„No. Do it yourself. I wanna watch,“ he said.  
  
Fuck. Leon could feel his dick getting harder just at the thought. He nodded faintly.  
„Y-yes,“ he said, slowly getting on his back.  
  
Raihan couldn’t quite believe it. It was everything he’d ever dreamed of, but better. Hotter. Fucking _real._ Leon was about to give him a show by fingering himself in front of him. He didn’t know anymore why he’d ever refused to give in to his desires. Why he’d avoided him. Why he hadn’t just fucked him… years ago already.

As soon as Leon had his fingers coated with lube and spread his legs in front of him, Raihan had to reach for his own cock and stroke himself, slowly but steadily, because doing nothing but watch would’ve been too much torture.

And Leon _did_ give him a show. He wasn’t breaking eye contact for even a second, moaning out loud as he slid two of his fingers inside his asshole.  
„Rai… Raihan…!“  
  
„Fuck yeah, Leon… Get yourself nice and ready for my cock,“ Raihan said, „I’m gonna fuck you like a good little _whore_.“  
  
Leon threw his head to one side, groaning, and started to touch his dick with his other hand. Stroking and fingering himself at the same time while Raihan was watching — He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d last at this point. Still, he added a third finger and made sure to stretch himself properly. Not like it was his first time, but with Raihan’s size it could still hurt a little otherwise.  
  
Raihan bit his lip, eyes half open and clouded with lust. He could endure much more than Leon, who soon enough got impatient fucking himself with his fingers.  
  
„Rai— Please—“  
  
Raihan grinned.  
He moved right between Leon’s legs, positioning himself.  
  
„You want this?“ He asked, starting to rub his cock against Leon’s lubed up hole, but without pushing in.  
  
Leon started to shake and moan uncontrollably.  
„Yes— Yes, please, Rai— Raihan—!“  
  
Finally, he stopped teasing him, slowly pushing inside.  
Leon groaned and gritted his teeth. He was still shaking and tried his best to relax. Raihan noticed and gave him the time he needed to adjust.  
  
„M-move,“ Leon moaned a little later, „Move!“  
  
Raihan cursed and started to fuck into him, just slowly at first.  
„You feel so good… Fuck… Leon… Leon!“ He moaned, not looking away from Leon’s face for even a second. Nothing he’d ever seen in porn could possibly compare to Leon’s expression.  
  
„Rai…! Aah— Fuck, harder!“

But Raihan didn’t speed up just yet. Instead he started to make out with Leon again, all while still slowly fucking him. It was a messy, sloppy kiss, as both of them were more focused on the lower parts of their bodies, but it still felt amazing. The heat of their bodies pressed together, the sound of skin slapping on skin…  
  
Then Raihan broke the kiss and fulfilled Leon’s request. He spread the other’s legs a little further and started fucking into him fast and rough.

„Like that, slut? Want me to fill you up good?“ Raihan asked between choked moans and curses.

  
Leon looked at him with hazy eyes, barely able to form a sentence. Beautiful. He looked utterly beautiful when being fucked properly.  
  
„Please— Cum— I wanna cum, Rai…“ He moaned, bucking his hips up to somehow grind against Raihan’s body. He could’ve touched himself, but obviously he didn’t want that.  
  
„Earn it. Tell me who’s little whore you are,“ Raihan demanded, slamming his cock inside Leon particularly hard.  
  
„Aah! Aah— yours— I’m your wh-whore—!“ Leon nearly yelled.  
  
Raihan started shaking a little as well.  
 _Just a little longer…!_  
He reached for Leon’s dick with his right hand and jerked him off, steady to the speed of his thrusts. Leon was, very obviously, nearly done for.  
  
Then Leon came first, a strangled cry of Raihan’s name on his lips. He arched his back and couldn’t see anything for a good three seconds. Shaking and moaning, he came all over Raihan’s stomach.

  
Raihan groaned, barely able to hold it back anymore with how fucking tight Leon was after his orgasm. Then he suddenly sunk his teeth into Leon’s neck again, _hard_ , and that was the moment he came as well.  
  
He was pretty sure he’d never had a better orgasm.  
  
He let everything out inside Leon, filling him with his cum.  
  
It took both of them a whole while to calm down. Both were breathing heavily, and they were barely able to move.

„Fuck,“ Raihan cursed — He’d taken his sweet time before pulling out.  
  
Leon gritted his teeth for a moment, but then he relaxed. He still didn’t feel like he could move, and then Raihan practically collapsed on top of him.  
  
„You’re heavy,“ Leon complained quietly. Raihan didn’t seem to care. He was still enjoying the aftermath of the greatest orgasm he ever had.  
  
„Mmmhm…“ He only made a humming sound, clearly satisfied with the situation.  
  
„Seriously, get— get off,“ Leon said. His face was still so, so red.  
  
Raihan chuckled and rolled off him. He took a deep breath, smiling.  
„Best sex I ever had. Can we do that again?“ He asked bluntly.  
  
Leon stared at him for a second, then averted his gaze.  
  
„Why do you even _ask_?“


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter chapter, sorry. 
> 
> Studying is keeping me busy.

* * *

  
  
One would’ve thought that Raihan would be satisfied, at least for a while, now that he’d finally fucked Leon.   
  
But that was absolutely not the case.   
  
Raihan’s constant thirst became even _worse_ instead. He needed to fuck Leon like he needed air to breathe, and obviously, Leon wasn’t always available. The champ was busy, very busy. He didn’t have time to hang out with Raihan all the time, and he definitely didn’t have time to fuck him whenever Raihan felt like it —   
Which was, frankly, 24/7 the case.   
  
While Leon was really into it, he couldn’t exactly keep up with Raihan’s needs.   
  
„Raihan— There’s only 15 minutes left, we—!“   
  
„Shut up,“ Raihan groaned, biting Leon’s neck and pushing him roughly against the locker in the men’s dressing room. They had a match coming up, but Raihan wasn’t sure how he was supposed to hide his hard-on in the arena if he didn’t get to fuck Leon before said match.

„Aah— Okay— Okay, wait, just let me…“ Leon moaned, trying to push Raihan away from his neck.   
  
„What?“ Raihan asked, eyes hazy and full of lust.   
  
„Let me suck you off. You’re not going to fuck me before this match,“ Leon said, and seemed very serious about it.   
  
Raihan chuckled.  
„Afraid your fans will figure out from the way you walk?“   
  
„Please just shut the fuck up,“ Leon said, rolling his eyes and pulling Raihan into a passionate, fiery kiss.   
  
They both didn’t know exactly what that thing between them was now. Raihan obviously preferred Leon over his other fuckbuddies, and Leon? Leon didn’t seem to _have_ anyone else. And if he did, he never mentioned it. Then again, Raihan hadn’t told him about the others either. Not yet.  
  
„Get to it then, _champ_ ,“ Raihan whispered against his lips.   
  
Leon blushed furiously and looked at him, his expression showing a little anger.   
But he quickly got on his knees, undoing Raihan’s belt and pulling down his pants and boxers. Raihan exhaled shakily and grinned down at Leon. Fuck, he loved just how _obedient_ he was. What a good little whore.

Leon didn’t waste no time — obviously, since they didn’t _have_ much time — and started sucking Raihan’s dick. He’d gotten more experienced already with how exactly Raihan liked it. And even though he was acting annoyed, he was actually deeply enjoying it. He _loved_ sucking Raihan off. He loved being dominated, he loved obeying Raihan’s every command. He didn’t know why exactly — no, maybe he did— but he didn’t want to think about that.

Raihan cursed under his breath and, since Leon was pretty used to it already, started to thrust into his mouth, slowly but steadily. 

„Good boy. Aah… You really want me to cum quickly, huh? You’re doing _so well_ ,“ he moaned.

Leon just kept up with it, not really showing much of a reaction, other than his face being deeply flushed and being all glassy-eyed. He was busy getting his own cock out of his pants at the same time, so he could get himself off as well. Shivering, he started to stroke himself. Raihan’s right hand was in his hair, pulling a little to keep his head in place.   
  
8 Minutes left.   
  
Breathing heavily, Raihan kept pushing in and pulling out again, fully focusing on Leon’s beautiful slightly embarrassed expression. Leon was shaking at this point and looked like he was close to tears. That was somehow always the case when he sucked Raihan off, and Raihan just thought it was weirdly hot.

5 Minutes left.   
  
Raihan groaned loudly and came inside Leon’s mouth.   
  
Leon flinched, but he patiently waited until Raihan was done, then swallowed slowly. He still wasn’t quite used to swallowing, but it was getting better. He pulled back, breathing heavily, and kept stroking himself, harder and faster.   
  
„You deserve a reward later,“ Raihan breathed out.   
  
Leon gritted his teeth and came, mostly all over the floor, but some of it reached Raihan’s lower legs.

„S-sorry,“ he managed to stutter, then glanced at the clock on the wall.   
„We have three minutes left…“  
  
„C’mere,“ Raihan said, suddenly getting on his knees as well. He briefly kissed Leon, broke away from his sweet lips again and then leaned down, proceeding to lick his dick clean.   
  
„Ah— Aah!! Rai— Hhah…“ Leon moaned, overly sensitive from his orgasm still.   
  
Once he was done, Raihan grinned and winked at Leon.   
„I’ll clean up the rest. Get going,“ he said.   
  
Leon swallowed hard.   
„Okay,“ he muttered.   
  
  


He felt quite dizzy, but he needed to get it together. After all, they were going to have a match now. The staff was probably looking for him anyways. Well, it wasn’t exactly a problem to start the match a few minutes late.   
  
He needed to get to the other side of the gym.   
Walking quickly, he was a bit lost in thoughts.

  
„Leon!“ Someone shouted, and Leon almost flinched.   
  
„I’m here, I’m here. Sorry,“ he said.   
  
Chairman Rose looked at him with a disappointed expression, shaking his head.   
„And Raihan?“   
  
„He’s ready, I’m the one who’s late,“ Leon explained.   
  
„ _Why_ are you late?“ Rose demanded to know.   
  
„No particular reason.“   
  
„Don’t lie to me.“   
  
Leon frowned. It was none of his fucking business.

Rose sighed, taking a look at his watch.   
„We’ll talk after the match.“   
  
  
Leon wished he could just say _no, we won’t, because Raihan’s gonna fuck me after this match_ , but yeah— no—   
that would be a problem.

  
Instead he didn’t say anything and just walked by Rose, on his way to the other side of the gym from where he was supposed to enter the stadium. He didn’t feel like battling at the moment, but he knew that it would change as soon as he’d enter the battlefield. He’d get into the spirit as soon as he’d release his first Pokemon.   
  
Everything was going to be fine.   
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
The following week, however, he was unable to meet up with Raihan at all.

  
Rose had put up an absolutely ridiculous schedule for him.

Since Rose’s sponsorship was his main source of income, he didn’t exactly have a choice but to agree to it. One battle after another, countless photo shootings— oh, how he _hated_ them — and interviews.   
  
And on top of all that, a business trip.   
  
„We’re going to visit the Alola region,“ Rose had casually explained without even looking up from his phone.   
  
„Sorry, what?“ Leon asked, absolutely baffled.   
  
„There’s gonna be a huge celebration. It’s about the Alola-League getting acknowledged as an official Pokemon League.“   
  
Leon blinked.   
„Why do you need me to come along?“ He asked, „I get why, as a League representative, you should be there, but me?“   
  
Rose looked up at him, smiling.   
„There’s gonna be a tournament as well. It would be of benefit to all of us if you were to win.“   
  
Leon sighed.   
Like he could refuse.   
„When are we leaving?“   
  
„Next week, Friday. I got the tickets, just make sure you’re ready and be at the airport around 7 am.“   
  
  
Leon fucking hated this life. As much as he loved having achieved his dream of being the champ long ago, he hated all the trouble that came with it. All he wanted was at least some more free time.   
  
A thought crossed his mind.   
„What if it’s not just me entering the tournament as a Galar representative? Like, wouldn’t it be better to have two of us?“   
  
He totally wasn’t asking this with anything… _else_ in mind, of course.   
  
„And who were you thinking of?“ Rose asked curiously.  
  
„Raihan, of course. He’s the best next to me,“ Leon said. There was a spark of hope in his eyes.   
  
Rose reached for half-emptied glass of wine on the table before him and took a sip. For some reason, he took his sweet time with answering, and it made Leon uncomfortable.   
„No,“ He said, „Raihan is needed in Galar when you’re not around. I understand where you’re coming from, but I have to refuse.“   
  
_Goddamnit_ , Leon thought.   
  
„Fine,“ He said, giving up.   
  
He texted Raihan a quick update about his situation.

  
  


* * *

Raihan gritted his teeth.   
He was very close to throwing his phone again.   
  


„What is it?“ Piers asked. 

  
It was around 10 pm and they had just had sex. The first round, at least. Raihan was nearly ready for another one.   
  
„Nothing,“ Raihan murmured.   
  
„U-huh.“   
  
„None of your business, at least.“

Piers snorted.  
„This about your relationship?“   
  
Raihan raised an eyebrow.   
„Would I be fucking you if I were in a relationship?“   
  
„Depends on what kind of relationship it is,“ Piers answered.  
  
Raihan groaned, turning around in bed so he wouldn’t have to face Piers. Meanwhile, Piers reached for his cigarettes. Nothing better than smoking after sex.   
  
„I’m not in a relationship,“ Raihan said, „I’m just mad because— I don’t even know. I want to fuck this guy, but he’s barely got time for me.“   
  
Piers glanced at him.   
„Are you aware that there’s no need for you to not mention his name?“ he asked casually.   
  
And Raihan flinched visibly.   
„ _What?_ “  
  
  
„I’m not an idiot, Raihan,“ Piers said, exhaling smoke, „I know that it’s Leon.“

  
There was an awkward silence, and then Raihan exhaled, burying his face in the pillow. It wasn’t like he was really embarrassed. But he knew that it was important to Leon that no one should know about… whatever it was they had. At least that’s what Leon had told him. 

  
„Leon doesn’t want anyone to know,“ Raihan explained, briefly lifting his face from the pillow to say that, then letting it flop back down.   
  
„Of course not. He’s got even more of an image-problem than you,“ Piers said.   
  
„Mmmhm.“   


  
  


Silence, again.   
  
Until Piers was done with his cigarette and proceeded to grab Raihan by the waist, turn him around again and get on top of him.   
  
Raihan grinned, his usual cocky grin that would drive Piers mad.   
„Ain’t got enough yet huh?“ He asked.   
  
„Shut the fuck up, slut,“ Piers muttered, then leaned down to kiss him.   
Their tongues were touching, and the kiss was wild, until Piers briefly broke away and whispered,   
„Don’t you dare think about _anyone_ else.“

„Uuuh,“ Raihan said, „Are we getting possessive?“   
  
Piers quickly made him shut up again by kissing him. He didn’t particularly care, but it was kind of an offense to his pride when Raihan was thinking about someone else. Piers wasn’t in love with Raihan, but he was worried for him as a friend. There was something different about his relationship with Leon.   
  
And he was worried that Raihan would realize that little difference way too late.


	6. 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you don't mind another shorter chapter; 
> 
> I'm just really busy atm :'D

* * *

  
  
Following Friday, 5 am.   
  
  
Raihan made a disapproving noise because the warmth next to him was suddenly gone, and he really, really wanted it back.   
  
„Is it time already…?“ he murmured, blinking sleepily.   
  
„Yeah,“ Leon answered. He was sitting on the bed, staring at his… friend? He didn’t exactly know what to call Raihan anymore. He didn’t want to think about it, either.   
  
Raihan groaned.   
„God, _why_ ,“ he complained, „This is bullshit. What am I supposed to _do_ in those two weeks?“

  
Leon tilted his head.   
„What did you do _before_ we were fucking around?“ 

  
Ah. Raihan hadn’t told him about that yet.   
„Uh… Dunno if you wanna hear that,“ He said, carefully observing Leon’s reaction, „But obviously I was fucking around with… others. Still am, by the way. Also having a good time online. Like… every day.“   
  
„Online?“ Leon asked, completely confused.   
  
Raihan was so, _so_ relieved that Leon didn’t react to the fact the he was still fucking other people next to him, at all.  
  
„Ah… how do I explain that to you,“ he muttered, „Y’know what, I’ll just show you. You are still using Twitter sometimes, right? Or Instagram? Both is fine.“   
  
„I’m not really active,“ Leon said, sounding a little tired. He didn’t like Social Media stuff at all. It was annoying to him, and the only reason he had these things was because Rose had practically ordered him to make these accounts. For his image and all.   
  
„I know, I know. Give me your phone,“ Raihan said.   
  
„I gotta get ready soon,“ Leon noted, but he unlocked his phone and handed it to Raihan. He didn’t have anything to hide. He barely took pictures and hardly ever even used the Messenger. He always preferred to just call people instead if he wanted to talk to someone.   
  
„Here,“ Raihan said, handing Leon back his phone.   
  
Leon raised an eyebrow.   
„So, what did you do— oh. Oh…“   
  
He stared at his phone screen and swallowed hard. That was… _Something._

„Like what you see?“ Raihan teased, grinning widely.   
  
  
„I— Raihan, you— I mean, that really _is_ you, right?“ Leon asked.   
  
  
He was scrolling through the pictures of a Twitter account that was more than just a little suggestive. Countless pictures of Raihan’s bare ass, his sixpack, sometimes even of his dick, never showing his face but always in lewd poses. And one picture even showed him in… Bondage.   
  
He noticed that the account in question was locked. _Thank god._   
  
„Yeah, that’s me. Can’t show my face of course,“ Raihan explained.   
  
„That’s— That’s still dangerous as fuck,“ Leon said, „What if the wrong kind of people find out about this? I respect you and I’m glad you trust me, but…“   
  
Raihan just rolled his eyes.  
„No one would be able to prove that it’s me.“   
  
Leon wasn’t so sure about that. What Raihan was doing there was definitely… hot, really hot, but also kind of irresponsible.   
„You… you get off to that? Showing yourself to everyone?“ He asked carefully.   
  
Raihan narrowed his eyes. Did Leon not like it after all?   
But he’d decided to be honest, so it was time to be honest.   
„Yeah. Kinda. I get horny messages from strangers all the time. Some of them like, role-play with me, and that’s the good shit… Sometimes I also go live while I jerk off. You should see the comments.“   
  
  
Leon blushed a little, looking away. That was… a lot to take in.

  
Raihan frowned.   
„Is it really that disturbing to you?“ He dared to ask. 

  
Leon shook his head.   
„No. No, that’s not it. It just… Ah, forget it. It’s actually really… really hot.“   
  
His gaze was fixated on a particularly erotic picture. Raihan was wearing a black leather harness on it. His face was flushed, but he couldn’t stop staring. These pictures also showed him a side of Raihan he hadn’t even imagined up until now. A submissive side.   
  
„Oh, you like that one?“ Raihan said, having gotten up and looking over Leon’s shoulder, „Pie— _Uh—_ Someone borrowed me that for a photoshoot, I don’t actually own this stuff.“   
  
Raihan gently hugged Leon from behind.   
Leon almost flinched at the simple touch, and it made him realize that these pictures — despite having the _real thing_ right next to him — had gotten him a little riled up. Also reading the questions Raihan answered on this account— Oh god—   
  
  
  
_Anon: god I wish we could see your face so I could fuck your slutty little mouth and cum down your throat_  
  
 _Answer: I could actually use some cum down my throat rn_  
  
 _Anon: I fuck myself to sleep every night on a huge ass bad dragon but I really wish it was you fuck I want your cock so bad_

_Answer: mmmh yes babe, show me a picture of your BD sometime_

_Anon: one day I’m gonna find you, I’ll tie you up and fuck you unconscious you beautiful fucking whore _  
_  
Answer: awww yes fuck tie me up and use me like a sex doll I’d love that_  
  
  
  
These questions, and the answers Raihan gave them…   
  
„Wait— Rai, stop,“ Leon choked out as soon as he noticed Raihan’s right hand brushing over his crotch through his boxers, „I don’t have time for—!“  
  
„But you’re turned on. Don’t you wanna take care of that?“ Raihan asked, and despite it being 5 in the fucking morning and him being about as tired as a Snorlax, the grin on his face just said — _Ready when you are.  
  
_

Leon exhaled shakily, and the next moment Raihan’s hand was down in his boxers, stroking his dick. He moaned, leaning back against the other, enjoying the warmth of Raihan’s chest against his back. It felt so fucking good, how was he supposed to resist?   
  
„Just— quickly, the flight, I can’t be late,“ Leon huffed out.   
  
„Yeah, yeah. Just let me help you there,“ Raihan answered, suddenly getting up from the bed only to drop on his knees right before Leon, who stared at him in disbelief. Well— that was new.   
  
„What?“ Raihan asked, looking up at him while licking his lips, „You got a hard on just now looking at all those rather submissive pictures of me, didn’t you?“   
  
Leon bit his lip. He didn’t answer.   
  
Raihan grinned, then proceeded to pull Leon’s boxers down and take his cock in both his hands, gently stroking him.   
„I’m a switch, Leon. The only reason why I never bottomed for you is because you don’t seem like someone who could top me properly.“   
  
And before Leon could say another word, Raihan took almost all of his cock in his mouth. Leon cursed and slapped a hand over his mouth— he didn’t know why, no one would hear them in his own apartment. He was just embarrassed. Especially with how fucking _good_ Raihan was at this, compared to himself. He knew sucking dick wasn’t exactly a challenge, but it still felt like he was losing.   
  


„Fuck— Rai— Aah… Aaah—!“ He moaned under his breath, realizing that he would cum very, very quickly if Raihan were to keep going at this pace and with how deep he was taking him in.   
  
But, of course, that was kind of the point.  
  
Raihan seemed to deeply enjoy himself. He was easily deep-throating Leon’s dick, which was no surprise considering how much dick he’d sucked in his life. The way he sucked him off made Leon feel like there was nothing Raihan wanted more in that moment than to get his mouth filled with cum.   
  
But then Raihan stopped for a moment. He pulled back and smiled at Leon.   
„Come on, champ,“ he said mockingly, „Show me that you _can_ dominate me. Fuck my mouth the way you want to.“

Leon swallowed hard. But then he gritted his teeth, and suddenly his hand was in Raihan’s hair, roughly shoving his mouth back where it fucking belonged. Raihan let out a strangled moan, getting right back to sucking eagerly. 

  
„Rai… Fuck… You’re so hot,“ Leon groaned, and he moved his hips forward, fucking into Raihan’s mouth. He was the one directing the pace now. It was different from the usual. In a very good way.   
  
It didn’t take long until he cursed out loud and came down Raihan’s throat. He kept thrusting into his mouth, riding out his orgasm to the last drop.   
  
Once he was done, Raihan pulled back again. He grinned widely, licking his lips.   
„Nice,“ He said, his voice low and sultry, „Maybe you can be good for other things after all.“   
  
„Shut up,“ Leon hissed, clearly embarrassed, „But— you…“   
  
  
„Sssh,“ Raihan shushed him, shaking his head, „Get going. I’ll take care of myself. And then I want to fucking sleep.“   
  
  
  


* * *

The flight to the Alola region was over 10 hours.   
  


Leon was so fucking done with absolutely everything when they arrived. Especially with Oleana. God, he couldn’t stand this woman.

He had barely been able to sleep on the flight. The Jet-lag was real, and it was bad. Good thing they were arriving two days before the actual celebration, and the start of the tournament.   
  
Leon had to admit, however, as soon as he saw the Alola region from above, his mood was lifted a little. Seeing these islands for real… The pictures in the prospects didn’t do them justice. It was really beautiful, and suddenly he was quite excited to be here for the first time, and to see the region-native Pokemon.   
  
When they arrived, it was late at night. He was quite exhausted.   
  
Rose had of course booked the best hotel to stay in all of Alola, a place called Hanohano Resort. Maybe this really could all end up an actually nice vacation for Leon.   
  
„You look like you need a lot of sleep,“ Rose said to Leon, handing him a key, „Your room is the number 207 on the 2nd floor. The elevator’s over there. Have a good night, and don’t worry about getting up in the morning. There’s no schedule for tomorrow.“   
  
Leon wasn’t used to Rose being _this_ nice, but he sure as hell welcomed it.   
  
„Thanks,“ he said, „You guys better go get some sleep too. See ya.“   
With that, he left them in the hotel lobby.   
  
He didn’t notice the way Rose stared after him.   
„Check in for us, please. I’ll be outside,“ Rose said to Oleana, who just nodded and proceeded to take care of the formalities.   
  
He needed a cigarette.   
  
Standing outside, enjoying the oddly warm night and exhaling smoke, he glanced up at the many windows of the hotel. One of these was Leon’s room.   
  
„Rotom,“ Rose said, and his phone lighted up in reaction, „Keep an eye on him.“   
  
A message appeared on the screen.   
_Yes, sir._  
  
With that, the Rotom left the phone and disappeared into the night.


	7. 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look at that a LONG CHAPTER and it's full of SADNESS WHOOOOOO :))))))))

* * *

  
  
  
Raihan was restless. He couldn’t get off enough to find even a bit of sleep.  
  
But _why_?  
Why was it, even though he’d absolutely gotten what he wanted, that his obsession didn’t stop? Why was it getting worse?

At this point, he was seriously wondering if he needed help. It wasn’t normal anymore. He’d always been a little sex addicted, but lately he was barely able to get anything else in his life done. Keeping up the happy nice-guy act was getting harder with every day. He felt like it would become too much sometime… soon.  
  
But what exactly was he supposed to do about it?  
  
„Fuck…“ He cursed. He’d just gotten off again, live-streaming it to his secret Instagram account, and it was 3 am.  
  
He sighed, burying his face in his hands. Something had started to feel… wrong. Just wrong. It was like his own body couldn’t keep up with his desires anymore. He’d started to feel irritated, and he didn’t go out at all anymore if it wasn’t for an absolutely necessary battle.  
  
He wasn’t going mad or something, was he?

His head hurt. He suddenly felt sick. And the next moment he also knew why — He’d simply forgotten to even eat something today. He’d only been drinking water and some coffee.  
  
And that came back to bite him now.  
  
He quickly got up and to the bathroom, and within seconds, he was throwing up into the toilet. It didn’t stop for a good minute, despite him not even throwing up any food, just liquids. Once he was finally done, he took a shaky breath. His entire body was tense and he was close to crying.

_What the fuck is wrong with me?!_

Still shaking, he got up from the floor, only to almost fall over. He’d seen black for a few seconds. But somehow, he managed to get back to the bed. He practically collapsed onto it. He felt exhausted, but not tired. Mentally tired, yes, but physically— He just knew he wouldn’t find much sleep.  
  
It made him angry.  
  
This was some utter bullshit and he didn’t need it. He didn’t need himself to be so fucking weak. So what, he’d forgotten to eat something and threw up because of that, no big deal. He’d make sure that it wouldn’t happen again.

Or so he thought.

* * *

„Rai, you’ve been up way too long again. How do you even manage to _do_ that?“ Leon asked, glancing at his phone while getting dressed.  
  
 _„Sleep is for the weak,“_ Raihan answered from the other end of the world.  
  
„Not gonna lie, that stream was pretty hot,“ Leon admitted, „But how are you up already? Did you sleep at all?“  
  
Raihan didn’t want to answer this.  
 _„A few hours,“_ He said.  
Lies.  
  
„Hm. Okay. You should really sleep more,“ Leon said, pulling his shirt over his head while Rotom was hovering in the air next to him, „Makes me kinda worry about you, y’know?“  
  
Raihan bit his lip. Thank god they weren’t video-calling right now.  
  
 _„Don’t worry about me,“_ He said.  
  
„Hey, we’re still friends, aren’t we? I’m allowed to worry, right?“ Leon asked.  
There was some uncertainty to this question. _Were_ they still friends? What about that one time Raihan had yelled at him that he didn’t know him at all? But now he knew, right…? He knew what had been bothering him. And it wasn’t a problem anymore. So…

Raihan kept quiet.  
It made Leon very, very uneasy.  
  
„Did I say something wrong?“ He asked.  
  
 _„No,“_ Raihan answered, _„It’s fine, but please, for the love of god, don’t fucking worry about me. I’m fine.“_

It didn’t sound like it. Not at all. But Leon kept that to himself.  
„Alright… What are you up to today?“ He asked instead.  
 _  
„Nothing, really. Gonna meet with Piers later though.“_

  
Leon frowned, then shook his head.  
No. He had absolutely no reason to be… jealous.  
„Wait, don’t you have gym duties today?“ he asked, a bit confused. 

  
_„Eh, I don’t feel like it. Got someone to take care of it for me,“_ Raihan explained.  
  
  
It made Leon worry even more. Something was definitely not right here. But he couldn’t say anything. Because Raihan would just get angry. But it wasn’t like Leon was completely blind. He’d noticed how stupidly carefree Raihan had become. He wasn’t just spending his free time to fuck around, he was also starting to sacrifice his job-time for the sake of fucking around.  
  
„So you’ll just spend the day… Uh…“  
  
 _„Fucking? Pretty much, yeah. I can send you some nice pictures later. Want some of Piers too?“_ Raihan asked casually.  
  
Leon gritted his teeth.  
„No, thanks. I… I gotta go, the tournament is starting soon and there’s gonna be interviews before that.“

_  
„Have fun then, pretty boy.“_

  
He hung up. Sitting down on the bed for a moment, he sighed deeply. He took the Rotom-phone in his hands and stared at it. He wasn’t jealous. No. There was absolutely no point in feeling anything more for Raihan than wanting to fuck him. No point at all.  
  
Because it was true.  
This wasn’t the Raihan he’d grown up with.  
This was an entirely different person.  
Not the one he loved, or used to love.

He remembered Raihan so full of energy, caring about nothing more than his Pokemon and the battles he’d always win — except against Leon — He remembered his eyes glowing like a flame in the dark, his smile being as bright as the sun when he enthusiastically talked about why dragon type Pokemon were the best kind of Pokemon.  
  
He remembered Raihan being the one who beat all the gyms before Leon and Sonia did, when they were younger. Raihan had been full of ambitions. He’d had dreams, bigger dreams than anyone else.  
  
And more than once, Leon had felt bad, because he’d felt like he was the one who had crushed these dreams. And now it seemed like… there was nothing left.

Blinking in confusion, he suddenly noticed that he was crying.  
  
He quickly wiped the tears away. He shook his head, and then he slapped his cheeks the same way he usually did before an important battle. He needed to stop this.  
  
Getting up from the bed, he grabbed his snapback and put it on. A quick look in the mirror assured him that he was ready to go, that it wasn’t noticeable that he’d shed a few tears.  
  
The tournament in Alola was waiting for him.

  
  


* * *

Raihan was on his way to Piers’ place. He’d put on a bit of a disguise, because Piers hated any kind of rumors about him, and he sure as hell didn’t want people to talk about them possibly being in a relationship or whatever.  
  
When he arrived and rang the doorbell, he was lost in thoughts and at the same time not really thinking about anything at all.  
  
It was an automatic door that opened when Piers pushed a button upstairs. He lived on the second floor of a building that pretty much looked like it would collapse within the next two years. But little did Raihan care about that. It was kind of Piers’ decision to live like that.  
  
He walked up the staircase. Piers was already waiting for him at the door.  
  
„Hey,“ Raihan said, and cursed himself for somehow sounding… weak.  
  
„Christ. You look like someone broke up with you,“ Piers commented. As usually, he was smoking. And despite his comment, he held the door open for Raihan.  
  
„Shut the fuck up,“ Raihan growled, and was right back to his usual self.  
  
„That’s more like it,“ Piers murmured.

Raihan walked in, tossing his jacket on the kitchen counter. He didn’t really feel like saying much. He was in a bad mood. But he wasn’t a complete asshole, so of course he would warn Piers.  
„I’m not doing too well,“ he explained, „But I can’t really focus on anything else either. I need to get off. If you don’t want to fuck me in this state, I respect that.“

Piers tilted his head curiously, exhaling smoke.  
„You’re being considerate. I appreciate that. Why are you in such a bad mood?“ He asked.  
  
„That’s none of your concern,“ Raihan answered.  
  
Piers was quiet for a good thirty seconds, and it made Raihan incredibly uncomfortable. He hated how Piers was always so… confident. He was always sure of whatever he was saying, and he didn’t take anything back either. On top of that, it often felt like he could read Raihan like an open book. As if he understood things about Raihan that he didn’t even understand himself.

„I’ve seen you post much more frequently lately. You’re online nearly all the time,“ Piers said. He stepped closer, and — uncharacteristically gently — pushed Raihan against the kitchen counter.  
  
Raihan exhaled, leaning against Piers’ touch.  
„And?“ He asked, a little annoyed.  
  
„It’s too much. You’re spending too much time with all this.“  
  
Raihan knew. He knew that Piers was right, that it was true, but _fuck_ , he didn’t want to hear it.  
„And _you’re_ spending too much time following my accounts that closely instead of just fucking me,“ He answered, pulling Piers into a kiss to make him shut up.

It was wild, it was messy, and it was erotic as fuck. Raihan could feel himself getting excited, and he wanted more, instantly. Piers’ kisses always felt like the dark type leader was the one in charge, no matter how desperately Raihan tried to be dominant towards him for once.

„Are you gonna think about Leon again?“ Piers asked, hot breath against Raihan’s lips.  
  
„No,“ Raihan answered— maybe a little too fast, „I won’t.“  
  
„Good. I’ll take your word for it.“  
  
They ended up just making out for a whole while, until Piers broke away from him and gestured for Raihan to follow him to the bedroom. Once they were there and Piers had closed the door behind them, he leaned against it and casually ordered Raihan to strip.  
  
Raihan got all excited thinking about giving Piers a good show. God, he loved the attention, he loved the hunger in Piers’ eyes, he just loved being _wanted_ this much. This was what turned him on the most. The fact that _no one_ was able to resist him.  
  
So of course he’d be a good boy and strip for him.  
„Hope you’re enjoying yourself,“ Raihan said, grinning widely.

„Depends on how well you’re going to strip,“ Piers answered. He looked as tired as always, crossing his arms and staring at Raihan as if he wanted to devour him whole.

Raihan licked his lips and started to undress, slowly. Very slowly. He was moving his hips like a goddamn whore while taking off his shirt, and looked at Piers with his best slutty expression while undoing his belt. He knew that Piers would likely leave his clothes on during sex, and he _loved_ that. It was an act of dominance. He was absolutely into it.  
  
„Y’know what,“ Piers said, „I’d really like a collar on you today.“  
  
„Oh yeah?“ Raihan asked, „Got a pretty one?“

„Of course.“ 

A few steps across the room, and Piers opened a drawer that was full of harnesses, chokers, thigh high stockings and other erotic accessories.  
  
„Actually, put this on too,“ He said, handing Raihan a detailed harness with lots of spikes and rivets. Raihan was still in his boxers.  
  
„That looks complicated to put on,“ He said, tilting his head, „But sure, if you help me.“

„Get on the bed,“ Piers said, and Raihan was quick to obey.  
  
He then chose a pair of black lace thigh highs to go with the look and walked over to the bed. Narrowing his eyes, he signaled Raihan that it was time to take his — considerably ugly — boxers off. Raihan grinned, but he got the message and took them off, throwing them on the floor next to the bed.  
  
The next few minutes were awkwardly sensual.  
They were both quiet, very quiet, and Piers was dressing Raihan up like a doll, carefully closing every part of the harness. Despite Piers not doing anything other than helping him to put all this stuff on, Raihan could feel himself being rock-hard already.  
  
„Very pretty,“ Piers murmured once everything was finally on.  
  
Raihan exhaled shakily.  
„I need pictures. Give me a few minutes,“ He said, and Rotom was already there.  
  
Piers frowned, but didn’t say anything.  
  
Raihan only let Rotom take a few pictures, but they were all good ones. He saw himself on the screen and could’ve come right there. Fuck, he looked good.  
  
„You done there?“ Piers asked.  
  
Raihan just nodded.  
  
„Good. I wanna fuck your mouth.“  
A statement rather than a question whether he could do that.  
  
Raihan was breathing heavily. The choker was closed so tightly around his neck, it almost felt like someone was actually choking him. He laid down on his back. Piers moved on top of him to kiss him briefly, then moved beside him — kneeling next to Raihan and undoing his belt. Once he’d freed his cock, Raihan was practically drooling for it already, mouth open and ready to be used.  
  
Piers changed his mind about the position.  
  
He moved again, ending up kneeling directly above Raihan’s face. Raihan shivered. This was _fucking_ hot.

Piers didn’t waste any time, shoving his dick inside Raihan’s willingly open mouth. And he didn’t wait with thrusting into it either. Raihan rolled his eyes back, moaning around Piers’ cock, shivering with delight. Piers cursed under his breath.  
  
He would be lying if he’d say that he wasn’t slightly… irritated.  
Raihan was acting even more like a whore than usually. He was accepting whatever Piers was doing to him way too easily.  
  
But how was he supposed to resist, with the way Raihan’s tongue was eagerly rubbing against his dick, and the way he was easily taking him in entirely?

When Piers decided to stop, Raihan was a shivering, moaning mess.  
„Aah— Fuck, Piers, fuck me, please, god—!“ He moaned, clearly desperate.  
  
„How about you be fucking patient?“ Piers growled, shutting Raihan up with a kiss, enjoying the taste of himself in the other’s mouth.  
  
He noticed that Raihan looked quite… out of it. And it irritated him to no end.  
„You’re not thinking about me,“ He said.

  
Raihan was breathing heavily.  
„I— Shut up, shut the fuck up, just fuck me, please,“ He moaned, gritting his teeth.  
  
Piers narrowed his eyes. He didn’t like this. Not one bit.  
„Maybe I’ll stop instead. Or you tell me what the hell is up with you,“ He said.  
  
Raihan wasn’t even looking at him.  
„Nothing is up with me,“ He growled, now clearly angry, „Just fuck me!“  
  
When Piers didn’t move right away, Raihan snapped. He got up from his back and switched them around, pushing Piers into the mattress, who was clearly surprised. Raihan started grinding his ass down on the other’s cock, ready to impale himself within the next few seconds.  
  
„Rai— Raihan, stop,“ Piers said, a clear warning tone to his voice.  
  
Raihan flinched.  
„Why? Why do you want me to stop?“  
  
„You’re acting _weird_ and you know it,“ Piers said, a little bit out of breath from the sudden change of pace, „What the fuck is up with you? Stop acting like you’re okay when you’re not. I’m not gonna fuck you when you’re an emotional wreck.“

„I’m fucking fine!“ Raihan hissed.  
  
But he wasn’t, and he knew it. He was just being stubborn.  
  
  
„You will stop. Now. I’ll take care of myself. Get off,“ Piers ordered.  
  
And Raihan knew better than to disobey Piers when he was serious. Shaking, he got off him, and suddenly he felt absolutely terrible. Everything came crushing down on him in that very moment. Things he had shut down, things he had never wanted to think about again.  
  
„S-sorry,“ he choked out.  
  
Piers didn’t answer. Instead, he started taking all the pretty accessories off him again. With every piece removed, Raihan felt a little more vulnerable.  
  
Until he curled himself up and started crying quietly.


	8. 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Much to think about.

* * *

  
  
It hadn’t really been until that night that Raihan started to see Piers as something more than a fuck-buddy. But now it became kind of clear to him that he had an actual friend in him. He’d never even considered it before.  
  
Piers stayed with him while he was crying, until he was calm enough to answer some questions. He couldn’t answer most of them, however, because he honestly didn’t know. He didn’t know what exactly was wrong with him, why he was acting like that. Why he was so angry all the time. Why he was so fucking horny at the same time, to the point of damaging his body. Before he’d come here, he’d fucked himself open with various toys — for _preparation_ — but he completely overdid it and was actually sore as fuck.   
  
He _still_ wanted more.   
And he didn’t know why.   
  
Piers wasn’t a very emotional person, but he understood other people very well. It often bugged Raihan that it seemed like Piers knew all about him while he knew nothing about Piers.   
  
„It does look like you have some serious sex-addiction problem. On top of your anger issues. You’re aware of that, right?“ Piers asked. He was lying on his back next to Raihan, who had decided to turn his face to the other side so he wouldn’t have to look at Piers. Of course Raihan had, after that little disaster, put his boxers back on at least, and he was mostly hiding under the blanket now.  
  
„I’m aware,“ Raihan choked out. He’d been crying a lot. Which surprised himself, because he never cried. Actually, he was pretty sure the last time he’d cried was at a funeral many, many years ago.   
  
„But it’s not just that. You know that people with mental health issues tend to self-harm, right?“ Piers went on.   
  
Raihan blinked.   
„But I don’t—“  
  
„You do. In your own way. You’re trying to get hurt by having sex. Playing it off as being into it. But sex is meant to be safe. What you’re doing is far from safe.“   
Piers glanced at him while saying all that, but Raihan still refused to turn around and look at him. He was clearly embarrassed. He couldn’t blame him.  
  
„How did I end up like this…?“ Raihan asked quietly.  
  
„There’s a lot of possible reasons. But I’m not a therapist, Raihan.“   
  
„Are you saying I need a fucking _therapist_?“   
  
Piers sighed.   
„That’s exactly what I’m saying, and exactly the reaction I knew I was gonna get.“   
  


Raihan tensed. He swallowed hard. Therapy? _Seriously?_ No. He didn’t need that shit. What would he even tell a therapist? He didn’t _know_ what was wrong with him, so how was he supposed to talk about it?

„I know what you’re thinking,“ Piers said, „But therapy isn’t that bad. I’ve been there, too.“

_„You?“_ Raihan asked, completely confused, „Why?“   
  
  
„Major anxiety disorder,“ Piers answered calmly.   
  
Raihan hadn’t expected Piers to be so open about something so personal.  
  
„Started when I was about Marnie’s age. It was bad enough to make me quit my gym challenge. Couldn’t quite handle the attention, you see? But there were a lot of sponsors interested in me as a trainer, and some that said I would make a good gym leader. Which sounded like a dream, but to my anxiety it sounded more like a nightmare…“  
  
Eyes wide open, but still not looking at Piers, Raihan was listening with great interest to what the dark type gym leader had to say.   
  
„Eventually,“ Piers said, „I started going to therapy. The chance of me becoming gym leader was still there. The former gym leader of Spikemuth offered to train me. But I had to battle my anxiety somehow. And that’s the reason why I later started singing, and performing. I forced myself to go on stage and face my fears head on. That way may not work for everyone, but for me it did.“   
  
They were both quiet for a bit, until Raihan decided to say something.   
  
„Funny how you’re scared of attention and I get off on it,“ he said quietly.   
  
„And yet, we might be the same. Just with different outcomes,“ Piers said.   
  
„How so?“ Raihan asked.   
He was pretty much calm again at this point, and he was very grateful to Piers for just… being there.   
  
„The root of my anxiety lies in me having always felt like I’m not good enough for anyone. And while I’m not a therapist, it’s just odd to see how you’re craving attention like others need air to breathe. Maybe you had a traumatic experience you never realized as such. Something that made you feel like you’re not worth it.“

Raihan felt like something inside him was… breaking.   
Some kind of invisible wall around his heart.   
It was slowly but steadily showing cracks, and he was suddenly terribly afraid of it possibly breaking down. There was something behind that wall he didn’t want to see. Something he didn’t want to admit.   
  
„You okay there?“ Piers asked, breaking through his stream of thoughts.   
  
„No,“ Raihan said, being honest for once.   
  
Another few minutes passed without them saying anything at all. Until Piers got up and undressed himself down to his underwear, then turned the lights off and got back to bed. Luckily, the bed was big enough for them to lie apart from each other. Raihan didn’t want anyone near himself right now.   
  
„Wake me up if you need anything. Stay as long as you like,“ Piers said.   
  
Raihan gritted his teeth.   
Fuck no, he wasn’t going to cry again just because he wasn’t used to this… kindness.   
  
„Thank you…“

* * *

Raihan hadn’t been in such a weird mood in a very, very long time.   
  
He still hadn’t quite figured out where he wanted to go from here. After that night at Piers’ place, he’d ignored the incoming calls from Leon. And of course, Leon demanded to know why he wasn’t picking up his phone. The messages he’d left told Raihan as much.   
  
But right now, he needed alone time, and time to think.   
  
Also, time to at least fucking try to not think about sex or getting himself off for a few hours. Which was, admittedly, hard.   
  


He was back in Hammerlocke. It was raining, but he wasn’t made of sugar, and with the streets being that empty because everyone preferred to stay home on a rainy Sunday, it was the perfect opportunity for him to go jogging. He hadn’t done that in a while either. He used to go frequently, but in the past few months he’d been slacking. Not just by not working out, however.   
  
He hadn’t been eating well.   
He hadn’t been meeting friends at all.   
He hadn’t been training his Pokemon either.   
And up until now, he’d refused to acknowledge that he had a problem at all.   
  
But how was he supposed to get out of this circle?  
  
His thoughts were about as clouded as the sky above the city.   
  
  
_„Something that made you feel like you’re not worth it.“_

  
He gritted his teeth, and next thing he new he was running faster.   
He didn’t want to think about it.   
  
Didn’t want to think about all these years of being Leon’s shadow. Didn’t want to think about his former dreams of becoming champ. Didn’t want to think about how originally, when he’d been offered the position as the eight Gym Leader of the Galar region, he had wanted to decline.   
  
He shivered, but kept running through the rain. Maybe he’d catch a cold. Being sick would be a good excuse for not answering Leon’s calls.   
  
  
_„I’m so glad! You’re still the best rival I could ever have!“_  
  
  
His rival…   
Was he, really?   
  
He couldn’t beat him, no matter how hard he tried. And as much as he hated to admit that as well, he’d started to give up on it. His fire was slowly dying down. He couldn’t keep up with Leon. At this point, someone else would defeat him before Raihan could do it. And the thought of that made him feel a stinging sensation in his chest. His eyes burned, but like hell would he cry again.   
  
He could feel a side stitch coming up, but he didn’t want to stop running. It felt good. Exhausting his body felt good. It felt a bit like cleaning up the mess in his mind.   
  
  
_„Hey, Rai… Like… If one of us becomes champion, we’re still gonna be friends, right?“  
_  
  
He suddenly felt like he was choking.   
  
_  
„What? Of course! And it’s not like there isn’t gonna be another Champion Cup!“  
_  
  
Yeah. There had been another.   
And another.   
And another…   
  
Raihan made a pained noise. The burning sensation in his sides was getting too much. He hadn’t been breathing properly. He stopped running and leaned against a wall, panting and staring up at the sky. Everything fucking hurt, but he kind of needed that right now.   
  
It wasn’t like he had no idea what was going on.   
  
He just didn’t want to admit it.

  
_  
I’m not worthy of your love._

* * *

On the other end of the world, Leon was in distress, but he had to hide it behind a cheering smile for the press and the other guests. There was a party to celebrate the winner of the Tournament from a few days ago.   
  
Which was, of course, Leon.   
  
It wasn’t like the Elite Four of Alola as well as the other trainers that had travelled here weren’t skilled — He did have trouble beating some of them, especially the rock type expert Olivia. That had been an especially heated battle. But in the end, Leon had proved that he was still the best among all of them.   
  
He hadn’t realized it before, but even this far away from home, he had fans. Now probably some more.   
  
He was wearing a rather fancy black suit Rose had picked out for him. He wasn’t sure whether he liked it or not, but he also didn’t really care. He’d never been a fashionable person. He smiled for a camera one moment, then turned back to happily talk to one of the local Elite Four, Kahili. They were discussing battle strategies.   
  
But his mind was very obviously somewhere else.   
  
Why wasn’t Raihan picking up his phone? Did something happen? Had Leon said something wrong again?   
  
And while he was worrying about him, a little voice in his head asked him at the same time—   
_Why do you care? He doesn’t care about you, either._  
  
Did he wish for Raihan to care?   
  
„Oh! Excuse me please— As much as I enjoy this conversation, I need to say hello to my friend over there,“ Kahili suddenly said, and while Leon had been very interested in her talk about team-building and useful region-specific items, he was kind of glad to have another opportunity to sneakily take a look at his phone.   
  
„Sure! Let’s talk again later!“ He said, flashing a smile. She waved at him briefly and disappeared into the crowd.   
  
Leon reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.   
No answer from Raihan.   
  
„Leon, please, stop looking at your phone all the time,“ He suddenly heard a voice behind him.   
He knew very well who it belonged to, so he didn’t even turn around.   
  
„Can’t you just enjoy the party?“ Rose said, „It’s not a good look for you to act so... disinterested.“   
  
„Yeah, yeah. Sorry. Do you need anything?“ Leon asked, clearly annoyed, but trying to hide it.   
  
Rose frowned a little.   
„No, but I want you to use this opportunity to make some connections. It’s important for all of us. I’d also like to introduce you to Professor Kukui later, he’ll arrive soon.“   
  
All Rose ever cared about was business, and Leon couldn’t care less. This wasn’t the kind of life he wanted. Yes, he wanted Pokemon battles, and yes, this tournament had been very, very exciting, but he was tired of being so formal, tired of talking to people he didn’t even like, tired of acting so goddamn _nice_ all the time when there were other things on his mind.

  
„Of course. Sorry for being distracted,“ He said, trying to sound genuinely sorry just so Rose would leave him alone.   
  
Rose sighed.   
„You’re distracted a lot lately, and I can’t say I like it. What’s on your mind, Leon?“   
  
„It’s nothing,“ Leon lied.   
He couldn’t tell Rose about Raihan, for good reasons.   
  
Rose showed a concerned expression, but Leon knew the only thing he was concerned about was his own image, and his business. Which Leon, sadly, was a huge part of. Rose didn’t really care about him, as much as he liked to pretend that he did.   
  
„Just don’t make it a habit,“ Rose said, and then he smiled. Something about that smile made Leon feel uneasy. It made him feel like Rose was looking right through him.   
  
But he hadn’t done anything wrong.   
He wasn’t in a relationship with Raihan, after all.   
  
„I won’t.“   
  
  



	9. 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes more than a little threat to bend Raihan to your will.

* * *

  
  
At some point, Raihan had finally messaged Leon back, lying to him about being sick. He had avoided being online so Leon wouldn’t be able to pull that card against him.   
  
It was the day Leon would return from his business trip.   
  
He’d only just now learned that Leon had indeed won the tournament there, but he wasn’t really surprised. He was glad about it, however, and he knew that it was ridiculous. His chances to defeat Leon had been growing smaller and smaller over the past months, past years even, so he wouldn’t really be in the position to complain if someone else were to do it before him.   
  
He was currently taking a break from a training session in the Hammerlocke Gym. His Pokemon Team wasn’t in the best shape, but well, the next Gym Challenge was still pretty far away. He was hanging around in the lobby, texting Leon.   
  
—Leon—  
 _‚I was worried. At least tell me right away next time’_

—Raihan—  
 _‚Yeah, sorry. Are you back already?‘_  
  
—Leon—   
_‚Yep. Unpacking my stuff. Wanna meet up for a drink later?‘_  
  
  
Raihan hesitated for a second. ‚Meeting up for a drink‘ most certainly meant that they would end up fucking. And while he wanted absolutely nothing more, he wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do at the moment, considering that his thoughts were still a complete mess.   
  
Before he could type an answer, he noticed that the door to the gym opened. He was surprised to see no one less than Chairman Rose himself walk in, waving at him with a smile.   
  
Raihan tilted his head in confusion, but he got up to greet him of course. It wasn’t often that Rose paid him a visit. Actually, he didn’t even remember the last time he’d shown up here.   
  
„Hello, Sir. What a rare occasion,“ He said, shaking his hand despite hating this kind of formality.   
  
„Hello, Raihan. How are you? I’ve been looking for you, and was told you’re busy with training. As one would expect from our strongest Gym Leader,“ Rose said.   
  
Raihan huffed out a laugh.   
It was kind of ironic that this was the first time he’d trained in a whole while.   
„Well, I gotta do my job. I’m good, thanks for asking. Anything I can help you with, sir?“   
  
Rose was quiet for a few seconds, then he smiled and said,   
„I have a rather private matter to discuss today. Care to take this somewhere else?“   
  
What?   
A private matter?   
  
Raihan was confused, very much so. And he had a bad feeling about it. It didn’t exactly sound like Rose had good news for him. What could it be about?   
  
„Uh… sure,“ Raihan said, „I guess the VIP lounge should do?“   
  
„Of course. After you.“   
  
Raihan lead the way, and he got increasingly nervous. He had no fucking idea what Rose could possibly want from him, or what kind of bad news there could be. Had he fucked up somehow? In his mind, he was going through all kinds of possible mistakes he could’ve made, but he didn’t really come to any conclusion.   
  
Heart hammering against his chest, he tried to maintain his usual cheerful attitude that felt so foreign to him by now.   
  
The automatic door to the VIP lounge closed, and Raihan offered Rose a seat.   
  
„So, what’s the matter?“ Raihan asked, trying to not show any weakness.   
  
Rose leaned back in the chair, crossing his legs.   
„It’s about Leon. I’m a little worried about him recently. He’s pretty distracted, and neglecting his duties, you see,“ He said.   
  
Raihan blinked. Now he was even _more_ confused than before.   
„What exactly does that have to do with me?“ He asked.   
  
But he had a dark feeling of knowing where this conversation would go. Rose wasn’t that much of a madman now, or was he?   
  
„A lot, apparently,“ Rose went on, tilting his head, „You have a rather interesting internet history, Raihan.“   
  
It was impossible for Raihan to not show any reaction. He’d tried really hard not to flinch, but Rose had noticed the way he’d tensed, and the way his eyes had widened just a little.   
  
Raihan tried to play it cool.   
  
„Hah. I mean, I have triple the amount of followers Leon has, so yeah, I guess it’s somewhat interesting,“ he said.   
  
Rose smiled.   
„We both know that this isn’t what I’m talking about.“   
  
Raihan could feel his blood run cold.   
How?   
How the fuck did Rose know?!   
  
„No idea what you mean, sir,“ He still tried to feign innocence, keeping up his carefree mask.   
  
It was like a game of cat and mouse, just that Raihan didn’t exactly feel like the cat. But Rose didn’t have any proof. He _couldn’t_ have any proof. Raihan never showed his face on his… risky accounts. There was no way—   
  
„You and Leon have been video calling a lot while we were in Alola.“   
_  
Fuck._

„What?“ Raihan said, but his voice betrayed him, sounding weak.   
  
„Stop pretending like you don’t know what I’m talking about. I’ve seen everything, and I have proof of everything,“ Rose explained calmly, as if he was talking about the fucking weather.   
  
Raihan just stared at him. Had Rose been fucking _spying_ on Leon? Was that how he knew about the little phone sex sessions they had had while Leon was away? A thousand thoughts were going through his mind at the same time. He remembered the things they had done while calling. And he remembered that Leon had also watched his streams.   
  
„Sir— Rose, I—“  
  
„Stay away from Leon,“ Rose interrupted him, „That is all I ask.“   
  
As soon as Rose said that, Raihan could feel his blood boil, and from one second to another, his politeness was completely gone.   
„What the _fuck_ do you think you’re doing? Are you spying on Leon? His relationships shouldn’t be _any_ of your business,“ he said with a low voice, frowning.   
  
Rose laughed a little.   
„Ah, that’s refreshing. To see you drop that stupid attitude of yours. You see, Leon’s relationships _are_ my business. Quite literally,“ he said, „And I’d rather not have Leon go against his contract just because some _whore_ can’t keep their legs closed.“   
  
The emphasis on the word ‚whore‘ made Raihan’s eye twitch for a second.   
He exhaled, slowly.   
„You’re a fucking freak,“ He said, „What are you even trying to achieve by controlling Leon like that?“   
  
„Leon,“ Rose answered, „Is the shining star of the Galar region. He is not just unbeatable. He’s untouchable. And he will remain as such. It’s like with those popular idols in the music industry, you see? People want to believe that they have a chance with them. That because they are single, they will consider their fans. And my business is to make money off that.“   
  
Raihan was shaking at this point.   
Out of sheer anger.   
How dare this asshole direct Leon’s life like that. How dare he treat Leon like some fucking object, how dare he—   
  
He gritted his teeth.   
„Leon and me are not in a relationship. We’ve been fucking around, but that’s it.“   
  
Why did this statement feel… wrong?   
  
„I am aware. But as I said, it’s been distracting him, and I’d rather not have Leon fall for someone — and definitely not someone like _you,_ “ Rose said, getting up from his chair, apparently having said everything there was to be said.   
  
Raihan snorted.   
„You really fucking hate me, huh?“ He asked.   
  
„I am disappointed in you, Raihan,“ Rose said, „Didn’t expect certain… things of you. One more time — Stay away from Leon, or you’re gonna regret it.“   
  
He knew very well what that meant.   
Rose had proof, and it didn’t exactly sound like he would hesitate to ruin Raihan’s entire career.   
  
The question was how much Raihan cared about his own career.   
  
„Have I made myself clear?“ Rose asked, ready to leave.   
  
„Crystal.“   
Raihan’s voice was seeping with hate.   
  
Rose left without another word.   
  
Still shaking, Raihan exhaled, hiding his face within his hands. He wanted to fucking scream. Scream all of this anger out, these emotions he didn’t want, just everything. Scream it out and go back to just being Raihan, the beloved Gym Leader of Hammerlocke. Nothing more, nothing less.  
  
His phone vibrated.   
  
—Leon—   
_‚Hey, I’m done unpacking, so, we gonna hang or not?’  
_  
  
Raihan frowned.

  
_Fuck you, Rose._  
  
  
—Raihan—   
_‚Why go out at all if we can have fun at my place instead?‘_  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Leon wouldn’t be at his place for another two hours, because he wanted to shower and then fly over to Hammerlocke with his Charizard.   
  
Enough time for Raihan to set up a little stream in his guest room. He always used that one, because there were too many personal things in his bedroom that could lead someone to identify him.   
  
Raihan never even talked on streams. too scared of people figuring out that it was him from the way he talked. Only people who’d had sex with him would be able to identify him by his moans.   
  
116 people watching. The number slowly went up. Raihan licked his lips at the thought of all these strangers tuning in just to see him. God, yes, he _loved_ the fucking attention. It didn’t matter to him at all who these people were. Technically, he didn’t even need their money. But receiving money for jerking off or fucking himself on camera was just really hot.

Rotom was filming his body, always careful not to show his face. At the same time, Raihan was using a laptop to see the chat of his own stream. Sometimes, he typed in the chat as well. Like right now.   
  
_VirginKiller_  
 _Good evening everyone… I got a nice new vibe and I’m dying to try it~_

_  
_Grinning widely, he took the reactions in the chatroom in like someone else would take a deep breath of fresh air. His online name wasn’t really anything special — his profile picture just happened to be him in one of these stupid sweaters, so he decided to roll with it. Also, this name didn’t really suggest anything, as in who could possibly be behind this account.  
  
He was typing again.   
  
_VirginKiller_  
 _Enjoy the show you dirty fucks._

He was already in boxers only, and now he slowly started to rub himself through them. He exhaled and relaxed. And, what a fucking surprise, his thoughts immediately wandered to Leon. He couldn’t help it. He still wanted him really, really badly. In his thoughts, he was tying Leon up like a nicely wrapped present, blindfolding him and putting him in handcuffs. Imagining the champ so completely… _helpless_ , it all went straight to his dick.   
  
Was Leon watching while on his way here? He wondered. The thought made him moan a little. God, he really wanted Leon to watch.

Raihan exhaled shakily as his dick grew hard, and he patiently waited for enough people to donate some money and yell in the chat to take his fucking boxers off. He grinned — not that anyone could see it, just for himself — and finally took them off, tossing them aside. His dick was rock hard in no time, twitching and begging for attention. he licked his lips.   
  
Then he turned around so his ass was facing the camera. He quickly covered his fingers with lube and wasted no time starting to fuck himself on two of his fingers. The vibrator he wanted to try had been a surprise-gift sent to him by no one else but _Nessa_ , who was probably watching right now. She’d left a cute little card with it saying how she missed him but she was just too busy lately, so she decided to gift him some fun time in another way instead.   
  


Raihan appreciated gifts like that. He really, _really_ did.   
  


He moaned as he kept fucking himself with his fingers, adding another one and stretching himself nicely for the viewers to see. With his other hand, he was lightly stroking his dick. 

  
_  
BitchBreeder01_   
_Fuck yourself already FUCK YOURSELF_

_MaChokeMeDaddy_   
_I wanna see the vibe!!!!!!_

_ LeonsWhore   
_ _such a good boy  
_

Oh, how much he loved reading comments.   
He chuckled a bit at the last one’s username.

He wasn’t one to displease his audience, so he reacted by showing off the vibrator he was about to fuck himself with. It wasn’t ridiculously huge, he’d taken bigger — but the _shape_. It was shaped like a huge fucking _tongue_. Nice way of Nessa telling him she wanted to eat his ass.

_MaChokeMeDaddy _   
_OH MY GOD I WISH I HAD THAT TOO_

_AquaJetWet_ _  
fucking beautiful shove that RIGHT up my pussy_

_DynamaxedDick  
_ _not before it goes up his beautiful asshole_

Raihan’s hips were twitching. He was still fucking himself on his fingers — four at this point — and enjoying himself greatly. Then he took his fingers out and coated the vibrator in lube for everyone to see. He couldn’t fucking _wait_ to feel this thing inside of him. He pressed the tip against his asshole, just rubbing over it again and again to rile himself and his followers up.   
  
When he saw the donations going up, he slowly pushed it in. The buttons to turn it on were at the bottom, so he would still be able to reach them even if that thing was almost completely inside him. And god, did it feel _good_. So fucking good. He couldn’t wait at all — He needed to turn it on right now. And when he did, an almost desperate moan escaped him. Those were some fucking intense vibrations. His breath got out of control as he fucked himself with the vibrator and stroked his cock at the same time. His face was down in the sheets and his ass up in the camera. Soon enough, he was almost drooling, completely out of it and fucking himself open without a single break.

  
Moaning loudly, he managed to stop for just a few seconds to set the vibrations to an even higher setting, and if he wasn’t so used to edging himself for a long time, he would have cum right there. His mouth was wide open, his tongue sticking out a little and his cheeks were beautifully flushed. His cock was dripping with pre-cum.   
  


He didn’t know how much time passed until he finally allowed himself to cum. A strangled moan cut through the silence in the room, and with the vibrator still in his ass, he humped the bedsheets to ride out his orgasm.

  
It took him a good ten minutes to calm down from that one. 

  
He gave Rotom the hand sign to turn the camera off.   
  
Fuck, that had been a good one. He felt a bit worn out, almost ready for a quick nap, but when he took a look at the clock on his wall, he realized that Leon would be here very soon. So he got up from the bed with a groan and went to the bathroom to take a shower.   
  
He was just done cleaning up the mess he’d left when the doorbell rang. He’d only put on boxers, because, well— Leon was coming here for one reason only, and he went to open the door. Not before checking through the fish eye on the door if it was really Leon, of course.

He opened up, just a bit to make sure no curious neighbors would see him in his boxers but enough to let Leon in.   
  
„You’re early,“ Raihan said, „I thought you—“  
  
He didn’t get any further than that.   
  
Leon shoved him against the door — effectively closing the door behind Raihan — grabbed a fistful of Raihan’s hair and pulled him down to kiss him. Raihan was surprised, but in a very good way. Leon’s grip was firm and Raihan liked being kept in place like that. They tongue-kissed intensely until Leon broke away, breathing heavily, their mouths still connected by a thin line of saliva.

Raihan noticed the look in Leon’s eyes, and it was almost enough to already get him hard again. The sheer lust, the _want_ in his beautiful golden eyes, the way his lips were a little red from madly kissing him just now.   
  
„Did you watch?“ Raihan asked, hands resting on Leon’s hips.   
  
Leon shivered, a clear indication that he was really, _really_ turned on.

_„Yeah.“_


	10. 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh no.

* * *

  
  
It hadn’t even been _that_ long.  
  
That business trip to Alola hadn’t separated them long enough to make them jump each other the way they did, but they did it anyways.

As if Raihan could stop when Leon was looking at him with that fucking needy look in his eyes, a look that basically asked him to do whatever the hell he wanted with Leon, a look that said _please, please just touch me._

Well, unlike Raihan, Leon was a little touch-starved. Raihan had been fucking others while he was gone, but he could tell that Leon hadn’t done the same. But — And he cursed himself for it — The first one to grow hard immediately just from making out was _still_ Raihan.  
  
None of them even said anything. They just kept wildly making out, trying to find their way to Raihan’s bedroom while kissing and touching each other. When they finally made it there, Raihan practically threw Leon on the bed and immediately got on top of him, pushing him into the sheets. Another passionate kiss, and then Raihan moved to Leon’s neck, first licking over the sensitive skin, then sucking on it, and finally sinking his sharp teeth into it, making Leon shiver and moan.  
  
„Really missed your sweet voice…“ Raihan muttered, licking his lips before getting back to attacking Leon’s neck.  
  
„Don’t— Rai, a little lower, otherwise I can’t hide this,“ Leon breathed out.  
  
Raihan flinched for a moment.  
Yeah. Because what if Rose were to see these marks?  
  
„Rai?“  
  
„Shut up,“ Raihan growled and kissed Leon again. Leon let out an almost dreamy sigh, leaning into it.

Raihan was hesitating. He was wondering whether he should tell Leon that Rose had been spying on him. Whether he should ask Leon if a contract that forbade him to be in a relationship really existed. He _did_ have a lot of questions —

But no. Not now.  
  
„You’re wearing a bit much for my taste,“ Raihan said, sliding a hand under Leon’s shirt. Raihan himself had already been in boxers only when Leon had arrived.

  
„You didn’t give me much time to undress,“ Leon answered, biting his lip a little because Raihan was playing with one of his nipples. Then Raihan’s other hand wandered right between his legs, pressing down on his crotch. The thin fabric of Leon’s infamous shorts wasn’t exactly build to hide a hard-on. Seeing that bulge made Raihan’s mouth water a little.  
  
Leon shoved Raihan away a little in order to take off his shirt and toss it away, but before he could get to the pants, Raihan was all over him again already, pressing their naked upper bodies together and kissing him. Leon loved the feeling of Raihan’s hot skin against his own, so he didn’t complain.   
  


„What do you feel like doing today?“ Raihan whispered against his lips.  
  
Leon swallowed for a moment, but then he answered.  
„I— I want to fuck you.“  
  
Raihan smiled.  
„I thought so, the way you pushed me against the door earlier.“  
  
His right hand was caressing Leon’s chest, brushing faintly over his nipples every now and then. He shoved a knee between Leon’s legs, making the champ blush a little.  
  
„You’re… not against it?“ Leon asked.  
  
„If you keep acting like a goddamn virgin I _will_ be against it,“ Raihan answered, leaning down to suck on Leon’s left nipple.

  
Leon was panting, grinding a little against the knee between his legs. 

  
Raihan huffed out a laugh.  
„You’re not going to dominate me like that.“  
  
Leon blushed, looking away.  
„You could try to be a bit less intimidating for once,“ he complained, „You’re so different in your videos and on those pictures, I just…“  
  
„Yeah, y’know what, shut up,“ Raihan interrupted him, „I’m gonna ride you.“

„Wha—“

Leon’s words got cut off again, this time by Raihan kissing him madly while fully undressing Leon at the same time, and then himself. Leon’s face was beautifully flushed, and Raihan licked his lips upon taking Leon’s cock in his right hand, stroking him slowly but firmly.  
  
„You look so fucking sexy. Good thing I’m already prepared from earlier, right? I’ll be able to take you in easily… Are you looking forward to fucking me?“ Raihan teased him, and Leon moaned a little.  
  
„Nnh… Rai… please…“ Leon breathed out.  
  
„Please _what_? Tell me what you want so badly, Leon.“  
  
Leon gritted his teeth.  
Then he looked Raihan directly in the eyes.  
  
„I want to fuck you. I want to feel my cock inside you. I want you to ride me until I cum harder than ever before,“ He said, and Raihan grinned, giving his dick an extra hard stroke and making Leon whine under his touch.  
  
„Not bad. You’re learning,“ He said.

„Shut— _Ah—_ up…!“

Raihan just grinned, reaching for the lube on his nightstand.  
„You’re so fucking adorable. But you’ve got a huge dick, I’ll give you that. I’m gonna love this. Aah…“  
He was panting and moaning while grinding his ass down on Leon’s cock.

„You like that?“ He asked with a low voice, „Want me to be your little whore tonight?“

Leon moaned loudly, shivering and bucking his hips up almost desperately.  
„Yes… Yes, fuck, Rai, do it already!“ He nearly yelled.  
  
„Ah, ah. Not so fast, champion,“ Raihan said, „Let me hear you _beg_.“

He started grinding down even harder, Leon’s cock throbbing between his ass cheeks. Then he started to play with Leon’s nipples at the same time, circling them softly, then pinching them a little.  
  
„Please— please, Rai, please, If you don’t— You’re gonna make me cum like that— Aah—!“

Raihan grinned, slowing down with his movements a little.  
„Well, we can’t have that, hm?“ He said, „But I’m sorry, that was a lousy beg. You can do better than that.“ He took Leon’s dick in one hand, stroking it way too slowly to actually make Leon cum. The change of pace made Leon grit his teeth.  
  
„Well?“ Raihan asked.  
  
Leon swallowed hard.  
„Please,“ he breathed out, „Please let me fuck you, I want to feel you. I want it— Aah— so bad, I— I’m going crazy, Rai, please…!“  
He looked absolutely _ethereal_ to Raihan with that needy, begging look on his face.

  
Raihan couldn’t resist. He had to immediately kiss him, hard and passionately. 

  
„That’s a good boy,“ He whispered against his lips after breaking the kiss, and then his hand was at Leon’s cock again, and he started pushing it inside himself.  
  
They both moaned, and Raihan was shivering, going down on Leon’s dick slowly but steadily. Once it was all in, he grinned, and then immediately started moving. He would give Leon the time of his life, that was for sure. And it wasn’t like he wasn’t having the time of his life himself. Leon’s dick felt so fucking good inside him, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to control himself.

„Rai— Rai, fuck, god, you feel so good— Aah—!“ Leon moaned, bucking his hips up.  
  
Raihan wanted to go fast and hard, but he also wanted Leon to last a little longer, so he held back, slowly impaling himself on Leon’s cock.

„Mmmh~ I’ve wanted your dick inside me for a while…“ He moaned, „Feels… good… Aah… Fuck!“  
He arched his back. Leon was balls deep inside of him, and he loved every second of it.  
  
„F-faster— Rai, please,“ Leon breathed out.  
  
„Earn it,“ Raihan answered, stroking his own dick a little.  
  
Leon frowned a little, and finally, _finally_ Raihan had him exactly where he wanted him. It’s not like he hadn’t expected it. No, he’d been waiting for it.

He was grabbed by his shoulders, and Leon pulled his cock out, only to turn their position around completely and push Raihan into the sheets.  
  
„Ah~“ Raihan moaned, „Are we getting _impatient_?“  
  
„Shut the fuck up,“ Leon growled — really done with Raihan’s shit — and then he positioned himself and started fucking into him again, hard and fast. Raihan rolled his eyes back and moaned loudly. This was exactly what he’d been hoping for.

  
„Mmh— Aah— Harder, Leon, _fuck!_ “ He begged, and Leon fulfilled his every wish by pounding into him as hard and deep as he could.

_God, yes.  
_

_Fuck me, fuck me harder—  
  
Fuck my goddamn brains out—  
  
Leon—!  
_  
  
„Leon!“ He moaned out loud, and Leon bit his lip harshly, reaching for Raihan’s cock with his hand and starting to stroke it with a firm grip.  
  
„Tell me when you’re — Ah— close,“ Raihan said, and Leon just nodded while moaning his rival’s name quietly.  
  
  
„Rai— Raihan— Aah… Fuck… I’m gonna cum…!“

Raihan licked his lips, staring directly at Leon. He reached for Leon’s hand on his own cock and started to direct his movements.  
„Cum with me,“ He said quietly. 

  
And it was all Leon needed, like a command he couldn’t help but obey. He let out a loud moan and fucked deeply into Raihan, twitching heavily as he came inside. Raihan squirmed at the feeling of being filled with Leon’s hot cum, then cried out and came as well, over his own stomach as well as Leon’s.  
  
Breathing heavily, Leon held on tightly to Raihan’s body, then smashed their lips together and kissed him hungrily.  
  
Raihan felt a bit out of it, not having calmed down from his orgasm yet, but he returned the kiss. When Leon broke away again, and Raihan looked at him with those hazy eyes and slightly confused expression, it happened.  
  
„…love you…“  
  
„What?“ Raihan asked, his entire body suddenly tense.

  
 _No.  
  
You don’t know what you’re saying.  
  
Don’t say it—  
_  
  
„I love you,“ Leon said again, gently pushing away a few strands of Raihan’s hair, and then he wanted to lean down and kiss him again.  
  
But Raihan, despite having absolutely no energy for it, pushed him away.  
  
Leon looked confused.  
„Rai?“   
  


„Why?“ Raihan asked.  
  
  
„Why… what?“ Leon asked in return, not sure what he’d done wrong now.  
  
  
Raihan gritted his teeth.  
„Why did you have to fucking _say that_?“

* * *

That same night, Raihan had barely spoken another word to Leon. Leon had desperately tried to talk to him, to apologize, and had even tried to tell Raihan that he ‚hadn’t been serious‘.

But no. Raihan was having none of it. 

  
It wasn’t just because Rose had threatened him. No, it was just something Raihan didn’t want. He didn’t want love. He didn’t need that. Maybe some years ago he would’ve been happy to hear these words from Leon, but now?  
 _  
_Too late.  
Years too late.  
  
About an hour ago, Leon had given up and left, as Raihan had asked him to. Whatever thing had been going on between them up until now was effectively ruined. If Leon could’ve just kept this shit to himself, they could’ve kept going forever.

Raihan had turned on the TV, but he wasn’t really watching anything, he just needed the background noise. He was restless, running up and down in his apartment, looking for something to do, but there was nothing left to do, he’d already cleaned up the mess, changed the bedsheets, done the dishes— God, he just wanted to sleep!

Why, why did Leon have to say it?!

It hurt. It hurt so fucking much. He didn’t know why. Wasn’t he supposed to be happy? Happy that Leon loved him? Happy that he apparently _was_ worthy of Leon’s love? But he wasn’t, and that was the problem. Leon deserved so much better than… A whore like him. And he couldn’t be with him anyways.  
  
He frowned, looking at his phone. What if he were to delete all of his secret accounts?  
But he was sure that Rose already had all of the proof he needed saved and ready to reveal.  
  
He bit his lip.  
What was he even thinking?  
  
He didn’t want to be with Leon. God, no. Maybe he’d wanted that years ago, but he’d grown tired of it. Tired of his own love that he’d never felt good enough for. Tired of losing to him in every aspect. And not just losing _to_ him, but also _losing him_ , slowly but steadily.

  
His eyes burned at the thought of his 16 year old self realizing that he was in love with Leon. His 16 year old self dreaming of the day he’d defeat him, and that day being the day he’d finally tell him his true feelings. But that day never came. 

Tears started to fill his eyes at the thought of the promise they had given each other when they were little, the promise to stay friends no matter who was going to become champion. Now they were neither lovers nor friends. There was nothing left.  
  
Anger filled his heart at the thought of anyone else beating Leon. And suddenly, he was screaming into one of the pillows from his couch, loud enough to make his throat hurt a little. He felt sick. Tired. Done with absolutely everything. Shaking, he lied down on the couch, not knowing anymore if what he was feeling was despair or anger or both.

_  
Throw it away._

  
His thoughts drifted off.  
He was 16 again.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
6 years ago.  
Everyone was celebrating Leon once again defending his title against Raihan. It was the first time Raihan had felt a little down about it. He’d left the festivities early.  
  
But Leon had come after him, despite being hunted by photographers and interviewers.  
Leon had looked for him all over Wyndon, only to finally find Raihan staring up at the Ferris Wheel.  
  
„There you are,“ Leon said, „I’ve been looking for you!“  
  
Raihan was surprised, but he also looked a little uncomfortable.  
  
„Hey,“ he said, „Shouldn’t you be at the party?“  
  
„Shouldn’t _you_ be at the party?“  
  
Raihan huffed out a laugh.  
„You got me there.“  
  
„I don’t like being there. I don’t like all the fuss. I love Pokemon battles, not this high society stuff,“ Leon explained, sitting down next to Raihan on a bench.  
  
Raihan tilted his head.  
„So you’d rather not be champ?“  
  
„Sometimes,“ Leon answered, „Yeah. But hey, I got something cool. From Cynthia herself! She came all the way from Sinnoh to watch— Oh, you probably knew that, right? Anyways, wanna see what I got from her?“  
  
Raihan forced a smile.  
„Sure, show me.“  
  
And what Leon pulled out of his pockets was a goddamn Master Ball. Raihan stared at it with his mouth open.  
  
„Seriously?! Oh my god, Leon— That’s—“

  
  
He didn’t get any further with whatever he wanted to say, because Leon proceeded to just…  
 _Break it in half._  
  
He handed Raihan one half of the now broken Master Ball.  
  
„I don’t want it,“ Leon quietly said, „What’s catching a Pokemon worth if it can’t even defend itself? But it’s still a cool gift. And I know you look up to Cynthia a lot. This half is for you.“

Raihan was quite unable to proceed the fact that Leon had just broken an expensive gift like that. Just like… _that_.  
  
„Are you crazy?“ He asked after a good minute.  
  
And Leon just smiled at him, a smile so loving, so full of honesty - absolutely impossible not to fall for.  
„Yeah. Maybe I am.“

* * *

  
  
  
Raihan nearly ran to his workroom, running past second-place trophies he’d earned and didn’t want to fucking look at anymore, shaking hands reaching for the upper drawer of his writing desk. Because in there it was, rusty and just as broken as all these years ago.  
  
 _Throw it away._  
  
He took the half of the Master Ball in his hands.  
  
 _Throw it away._  
  
He could just step on it. Break it for good. Break his own feelings along with it.  
  
 _Do it!_  
  
But no matter how many ways of breaking it or getting rid of it he imagined in his head, he couldn’t do it. After all these years, he still couldn’t do it. Even after this day, he still couldn’t do it. He turned the ball in his hands for a few minutes. Everything still hurt. And this stupid thing didn’t make things any better. But there was still some hope inside him.

A little flame that refused to go out.   
  
  


* * *


	11. 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're heading towards the end of this fanfic, everyone!  
> After this chapter, there will be two or three more, and that's gonna be it.  
> I hope you enjoyed the ride so far. 
> 
> I really enjoyed writing this and I will definitely keep writing more Pokemon fanfics for a while!

* * *

  
  
  
From that day onwards, Raihan’s condition just got worse.  
A lot worse.  
  
He hardly ever went outside anymore, he barely ate anymore, he kept throwing up all the time, and still — despite everything — couldn’t stop jerking it in front of a camera for his followers to see. He was painfully aware of his addiction now, but he was also terribly scared of change. Any kind of change.  
  
So when Piers and Nessa suddenly visited him in Hammerlocke together, he almost didn’t want to open the door.  
  
„Open up, idiot,“ He heard Nessa’s voice from outside, „We know you’re home because no one has seen you anywhere else.“

Raihan groaned.  
„Go away,“ He said, „I don’t wanna see anyone.“

„That’s exactly why we’re here,“ Piers said.  
  
Raihan stared at the ground. He knew that he was supposed to let them in. He knew that they weren’t here to fuck, they were here to help. And he knew that it was exactly what he needed right now. Friends. People who cared about him. People who could maybe give him advice on what to do and how to possibly go on.  
  
So why was he so scared?  
  
Reluctant, he turned the key around and opened up. He was wearing comfy clothes but otherwise kinda looked like shit, maybe another reason why he didn’t want so see them.  
  
Nessa was looking at him with a judging expression, while Piers looked as tired as ever.  
  
„Good boy,“ Piers said.  
  
„Can we come in? I mean, we _will_ come in, but just asking to be polite, y’know,“ Nessa said — She looked a little sulky.

Raihan just nodded and held the door open. He was tired as well, if not more than Piers usually was. He didn’t want to talk. He’d thrown up the little food he’d had this day just a bit earlier, and the fact that Nessa had a bag full of groceries with her didn’t exactly make his stomach feel better.

„Man, this place looks worse than mine,“ Piers commented on the huge mess in Raihan’s apartment. Clothes were lying everywhere, mostly on the floor, the kitchen smelled badly at this point because Raihan hadn’t bothered doing any dishes, and he also hadn’t bothered hiding some used sex toys that were lying around in the living room.  
  
„If you’re here to judge me, then please go home again,“ Raihan said.  
  
„We’re here to help,“ Nessa said, „Since you didn’t bother _asking_ for help.“  
  
_Oh, so that’s why she’s so offended_ , Raihan thought. Nessa has always been a good friend, so of course she’d be sour over Raihan not asking her for help at all.  
  
He shrugged.  
„Do I need help?“  
  
Both of them raised an eyebrow in unison, and Raihan almost laughed. Almost. They were serious after all, and his situation was serious.  
  
„Rai, seriously, what the fuck happened to you?“ Nessa asked, „I mean, yeah, you’ve always been a little fucked up, but not like this.“

Raihan threw the clothes that were lying on the couch in a corner so they could sit down.  
  
„I don’t know,“ He said quietly.  
  
„Something happened, right?“ Piers asked, visibly uncomfortable.  
  
„You sound like you don’t really want to be here,“ Raihan said.  
  
„I don’t ever wanna be outside of Spikemuth, so consider yourself fucking special.“

Raihan swallowed hard. Right. He actually knew that. Why did Piers come along, then? Nessa could’ve done this without him, right? Did he really care about him that much?

„Talk to us, Rai,“ Nessa said, then reached into the bag she brought and pulled out some cans of beer, „Just tell us what’s up so we can find a solution.“

Raihan didn’t have to ask how they even knew that something was up with him. While he was aware that both of them were among his followers and subscribers, they both never bothered to tell him their usernames, obviously, so he could never block them. They must have noticed him getting on streams and posting new pics 24/7 lately. And it didn’t take a genius to realize that with the amount of time he spent online, there was no way he was even thinking about the Hammerlocke Gym.  
  
Was there a point in hiding anything from them?  
  
He stared at the can of beer.  
Well, he might have an online and sex addiction, but at least it wasn’t alcohol or drugs, right?

„Again, I don’t really know,“ Raihan said, „Everything is just… a mess. I don’t wanna do anything anymore. I just… I… I’m tired.“  
  
„Raihan,“ Piers started, „You didn’t go to therapy, did you?“  
  
Raihan exhaled.  
„No.“  
  
„And why not?“  
  
„I don’t need it.“  
  
„You know that that’s bullshit. Look at yourself. Look at your fucking apartment. And did you seriously leave your Pokemon with the Gym Trainers?“ Piers kept asking.  
  
Raihan bit his lip, not saying anything. His hands were shaking a bit.  
  
„What exactly happened, Rai?“ Nessa asked worriedly.  
  
„ _Nothing_ happened,“ Raihan answered, a little too angrily, „I just need time for myself. I need a break. This is my break. I’ll be back to normal at some point.“  
He knew that he was lying to them and to himself, but he couldn’t help it.

Nessa pouted, then took one of the beer cans and opened it.  
„It’s about Leon, isn’t it? Piers told me,“ She said.  
  
Raihan glared at Piers. Fucking asshole.  
„I’ll get you for that one, Piers,“ He said, then looked at Nessa again, „Leon and me are not a thing. And the fuck-buddy thing we had is over too. _Nothing_ is about Leon.“  
  
Piers clicked his tongue.

„Oh yeah? Why’s it over then?“  
  
Raihan got up from the couch, groaning.  
„Look, what the fuck do you want me to do?! Can you just say it instead of asking unnecessary questions?“

„Rai, the next Gym Challenge starts in two months,“ Nessa said, frowning, „And you’re not even leaving your fucking apartment! You think people haven’t noticed your absence?! Everyone is talking about it! There’s rumors that you want to resign!“

Raihan flinched, then swallowed hard.  
„Well… What if I just do that?“ He asked quietly.  
  
„What the—?! Rai, what is wrong with—“  
  
„Nessa,“ Piers interrupted her, „Don’t make it worse.“

That’s when Nessa realized that Raihan was fighting with the tears in his eyes. Her expression softened.  
„Oh, Rai…“ She sighed, getting up from the couch as well to pull him into a hug.  
  
„What the fuck am I supposed to do?“ Raihan said, shaking, „I’m a mess. I’m not strong enough. I’m worthless. I don’t wanna fucking do this anymore, I’m tired of being the strongest Gym Leader, I’m tired of— tired of losing, I…“

„And there it is,“ Piers said, „It’s about Leon after all.“

Raihan frowned, still holding back tears.  
  
„If I help you find a good therapist,“ Piers went on, „Will you consider it?“  
  
„Do I have a choice?“ Raihan asked.  
  
„No,“ Nessa answered.  
  
Raihan huffed out a laugh. These two were one strange couple of friends.

„Then… Then help me. Because I don’t know where and how to start.“

Nessa hugged him one more time.  
„I’ll stay the night,“ She said, „No sex. And you’re not going live again either. I’ll help you clean up here and keep an eye on you. Alright?“

Raihan didn’t like that one bit, but again, like he had a choice.  
  


* * *

Leon had tried to call or text Raihan so many times.  
But Raihan went as far as to change his goddamn number.  
  
Ever since that night, Leon had desperately tried to reach Raihan, to talk to him somehow. But at the same time he was ashamed. He’d said the words, and there was no going back on them. He hadn’t been honest with Raihan from the start, and now Raihan knew.  
  
Leon had tried so hard to keep that from happening at first, but that moment, the moment he’d said the words, that was when he’d genuinely thought that they were at a point where it would be okay to say them.  
  
How wrong he’d been about that.  
  
Raihan didn’t love him. Of course he didn’t. Why would he? Leon understood, he really did. Raihan may be attracted to him in a sexual way, but as a person, he really must hate Leon. The one who always beat him. The one who’d crushed his dreams.  
  
Leon knew, because he saw it in Raihan’s eyes every time he lost, he saw the struggle and the forced smile on his face.  
  
Raihan had blocked him from all of his secret accounts.

Leon sighed. They would eventually see each other again, and at this point, he could imagine it being no sooner than on the battlefield of the next Gym Challenge. He didn’t want that. That wasn’t where he wanted to face Raihan.

Leon was in formal attire, on his way to a dinner with Rose and some of his other sponsors. He didn’t like this kind of stuff, but it was part of being Champion.

When he entered the restaurant, Oleana was waiting for him. A waiter offered to help take Leon’s coat off, but he just thanked him and did it himself.  
  
„The Chairman and his guests will be a little late,“ Oleana said, „You may have a seat and order something to drink already.“  
  
Leon nodded. He didn’t like Oleana, so he avoided talking to her whenever he could. This would be a long, boring evening. He kind of wished things would be okay between him and Raihan, so he could text him during the dinner.

When Rose finally arrived, Leon noticed that the Chairman was a little tipsy already. They probably had opened a bottle or two at the meeting they had before.  
„Leon! You’re here already— splendid,“ He said, seemingly in a good mood, „Have a seat, gentlemen.“  
  
Leon shook the hands of his sponsors as well as the partners they had with them, talking briefly to everyone, mainly answering questions about his preparations for the upcoming gym challenge. He was terribly bored already, but Rose seemed happy with him, so whatever.  
  
Rose chose the wine for the evening, and Leon sighed, knowing that he had to drink as well despite not being a huge fan of wine. But at least he didn’t get drunk on it that easily. He just didn’t like the taste much.  
  
Rose, on the other hand, drank a lot that evening. Leon later found out that it was mainly because he’d managed to make a huge deal about energy resources with politicians from the Kalos region. He didn’t understand much about business stuff like that, but it did sound important, so he tried to take part in the conversation a bit.

At least the food was really, really good. It was something, and Rose paid for all of it.  
  
It wasn’t until around midnight that the party was finally over, as Rose’s guests started to leave one after another.  
  
When Leon wanted to excuse himself as well and go home, Rose told him to wait.  
„Ah, there’s a photoshoot tomorrow, I forgot to tell you about that… Did Oleana tell you?“ Rose said. He seemed a little out of it.  
  
„Yes, sir, I know about it. I will be there,“ Leon answered. He was tired and bored, so he really wanted to leave. All the other guests were gone already.  
  
„Are you doing well, Leon? You seem tired. Can’t have a sick champion at a photoshoot.“

„I’m fine.“  
  
„You sure? No one is like, bothering you?“ Rose kept asking.  
  
Leon raised an eyebrow.  
„What is this about?“ He asked bluntly.  
He was aware that Rose was drunk, but this was just a weird question.  
  
„I’m just— Reminding you of our contract, yes, I need to remind you of that,“ Rose said, taking another sip of wine.  
  
Oleana suddenly seemed a bit alarmed.  
„Chairman,“ She said, „We should leave.“  
  
But Leon wasn’t having any of that.  
„No, wait. Is there something _else_ you want to tell me?“ Leon asked sharply, and Rose laughed, raising his arms in defense.  
  
„The Chairman is tired,“ Oleana said, „He’s not in the right mind to—“  
  
„Shut up,“ Leon hissed at her, and she seemed taken aback, actually shutting her mouth.  
  
And Rose slipped up.  
„I’m just saying that Raihan is no good for you, you see? And like— We have a deal and all…“  
  
Leon stared at him.  
„What do you mean? How is Raihan no good for me? He’s my _friend_ ,“ Leon said, narrowing his eyes. Chairman Rose shouldn’t have any knowledge about whatever had gone down between him and Raihan. At the same time, Leon’s heart hurt at himself proudly announcing that Raihan was still his friend.  
  
Rose tilted his head.  
„Please, get yourself some better friends than a cheap whore like that,“ he said, „But fine, if you’re friends that’s fine, just— nothing more than that, right? Right. He told me you’re nothing more anyways.“  
  
Leon frowned.  
„You fucking _asshole_. You spied on me again, didn’t you?!“  
It wouldn’t be the first time.  
  
„Chairman,“ Oleana said with a warning tone to her voice, „We need to leave.“  
  
Leon just watched as Oleana helped Rose up from his chair and the Waiter hurriedly ran to get the Chairman’s coat, as well as Leon’s.  
  
„If you’ll excuse us. We will see each other at tomorrow’s photoshoot. The Chairman will be busy. Have a good night.“  
With that, Oleana and Rose left the restaurant, leaving Leon behind.

Leon, who couldn’t quite process what just happened.  
The things Rose had said.  
The fact that Rose and Raihan had talked about their relationship.

The question now was what to do with this information.


	12. 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raihan starts working on it, but will things end well?

* * *

That same week, with help from Piers, Raihan found a discreet and good therapist and started going there twice a week. Nessa and Piers urged him to try and get himself together before the next Gym Challenge.   
  
_„But,“_ Piers had said, _„If you feel like you can’t do it, then quit. Trust me, it’s not worth it.“  
_  
Raihan didn’t know what exactly he meant by that, but he trusted Piers, so he kept it in mind.   
  
It was hard, but he managed to take little steps into the right direction. Nessa decided to take some time off and practically moved in with Raihan for a few weeks. She made sure he wasn’t using his phone or laptop too much, and also made sure that he didn’t forget his therapy appointments. She also helped him with everyday stuff, like buying groceries or cleaning his apartment.   
  
He couldn’t thank her enough. Well, he was frustrated that she sometimes just took his phone away from him, but well.   
  
They installed a program on the phone that would make Rotom shut down after a certain time. That actually worked pretty well.

Of course, it didn’t change the fact that Raihan’s thoughts were wildly horny still, and Nessa not being willing to sleep with him this time didn’t make things better. So he just got off as quickly as possible whenever she wasn’t around.

Sometimes, when he was allowed to use his phone, Raihan checked his secret accounts, and all of his followers seemed to be worried where he was and why he wasn’t posting anything anymore. But he couldn’t care about that now. Also, these people didn’t even know him. These people just wanted to fuck him.

Then again, he didn’t know himself, either.   
  
He started going outside more often again, and even went to the Gym. He retreated his Pokemon from the Gym Trainers. All of them, especially Flygon, were very, _very_ mad at him, but also worried. He apologized to all of them many times.   
„I’m not really well, guys. But I’ll do my best to be here for you again,“ He said, petting Flygon’s head.

Of course, the Gym Trainers had been worried about him too. He couldn’t exactly explain his situation to them, but he reassured them that he would be training with them again from now on, and that there was no need to worry about the next Gym Challenge.   
  
The real problem turned out to be his eating habits.   
  
With suddenly training again, he grew more hungry, but he didn’t have any appetite still. Whenever he ate something, it was still really hard to not throw up. And sometimes he couldn’t help it.   
  
So he decided, next to the therapist, to consult a specialist on eating disorders. The woman assigned him a diet that would go easy on his stomach. She said he was supposed to work his way up from there, until he would be able to eat normally again. And he couldn’t overdo it with the training.   
  
It made Raihan worry about whether he and his team would be in shape for the Gym Challenge or not. Maybe this time he wouldn’t be the one to face Leon at the end.

All in all, it was going well. His therapist was a rather young one, and Raihan immediately clicked with the guy. It was surprisingly easy to tell him… absolutely everything. Everything that had been on his mind for so long. And it felt good. Really good. Kinda like getting rid of garbage. Thoughts he didn’t need.

But it wasn’t just him telling his life story, it was also his therapist making him realize things about himself he had either not known at all, or things he’d refused to realize. 

  
Like the fact that losing to Leon had been eating away at his confidence.   
Or the fact that he was terribly scared of someone else beating Leon first.   
And, of course, the fact that despite everything, he loved Leon.   
  
How fucking stupid he was.   
Of course he loved Leon. He’d been in love with him for so long, and as much as he’d tried to talk himself out of it, these stupid feelings were still there. Ever since they were young. Ever since he’d given him that stupid half of a Master Ball. Leon might’ve not caught a Pokemon with it, but he’d caught Raihan’s heart.   
  
He’d just always been convinced that he wasn’t worthy of it. The therapy made him remember many things he’d forgotten about, feelings he’d never given a second thought.   
  
And suddenly, there was hope.   
A newfound hope that he would get all of this under control somehow, his anger, his obsessions, his mental problems, and maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to face Leon and tell him the truth then. 

But the Gym Challenge didn’t wait.   
  
  
  


* * *

Two months later.   
  
Raihan seemed mostly back to his old self. Only someone who knew him well would notice that he was tired. He did a very good job on keeping up his facade, and he also, surprisingly, managed to make as many Gym Challengers give up on the Challenge as ever.   
  
He was still the strongest Gym Leader.   
  
His therapist had told him that he shouldn’t do it. That he wasn’t ready, especially not for the possibility of facing Leon in battle again. But Raihan wanted to. He needed this, as some sort of challenge for himself. He wanted to prove to himself that he was stronger than that. He’d ignored the warnings.   
  
_„You can’t go back to who you used to be. That time is over. You’ve grown, you’ve experienced a lot of negative things — You need to embrace who you are now.“_  
  
The advice he was ignoring.   
Because he wanted it so badly, he wanted to go back to who he used to be so, so badly.   
  
Duraludon’s roar echoed through the Stadium along with the cheers of the crowd. He’d defeated another Gym Challenger. The poor kid was shocked, having only had victories up until now. Raihan walked over to him to shake his hand.   
  
„It was a good battle. Don’t beat yourself up over this, kid. You can try again, y’know?“ He said. The trainer sighed and nodded, shaking his hand.   
  
Raihan felt bad for the Challengers that gave up because of him. But at the same time, winning filled him with joy. It was a double edged sword.   
  
Winning fueled his fire.   
  
Maybe he _was_ ready to face Leon.

* * *

And exactly one week later, it was time for the finals.   
  
Only three Gym Challengers this time had made it there. The Gym leaders were warming up for the final tournament. All of Wyndon was cheerful, bright, and ready to see some good fights.   
  
Raihan was up first, against Nessa.   
  
„You okay?“ She asked him in the locker room.   
  
„The battle is starting soon. You should go to the other side,“ Raihan said.   
  
„That’s not an answer to my question,“ Nessa asked sharply.   
  
Raihan took a deep breath.   
„I… I feel okay. Thank you.“   
  
Nessa smiled a little, then waved at him and left to go to the other side of the stadium where she would make her entrance. She was glad that Raihan was very obviously doing better. She also hoped that he would take a longer break after this years Gym Challenge however, because it was still noticeably tiring him.   
  
Raihan got up, taking a quick look at himself in the mirror.   
He looked okay.   
He would be okay.

Nessa did her absolute best, and so did Allister and the Gym Challengers, but in the end, Raihan succeeded, just like all the years before. With the only difference that this time, he was nervous about facing Leon.   
  
But being nervous didn’t mean that he’d give him an easy battle.   
No, he was determined to give it everything he’s got.   
  
The lights in the stadium were blinding him.   
  
And there he was.   
  
Leon was making his entrance, and it didn’t take a hardcore fan to notice that something was off. He wasn’t as enthusiastic about it, and only had few words for the crowd. Raihan’s hands were shaking, standing on the other side of the battlefield. He was itching to release his first Pokemon.   
  
Leon looked at him, and Raihan immediately tensed. The fact that Leon didn’t say anything to him made him very, very nervous, but also angry. He wished Leon wouldn’t make it so obvious for everyone that something between them had gone wrong.   
  
And he wished he could just unsee the pity he’d noticed in Leon’s expression.   
  
Gritting his teeth, he waited for the referee to officially declare the start of the battle. His right hand was in a tight grip around the Pokeball that belonged to his Goodra. He had a feeling that Leon would start with Dragapult, and while he couldn’t outspeed it with any of his Pokemon, Goodra’s high special defense made it always the best choice against Leon’s Dragapult.

The battle began, and just as Raihan expected, Leon sent out Dragapult.   
  
Shaking a little, he managed to fake a smile, sending out Goodra as planned.   
  
Heat filled the stadium. Raihan knew he was going to lose, like always, but still, he didn’t plan on making it easy for Leon.

  
  
„Dragapult, use Dragon Breath!“ Leon commanded, looking serious.

„Goodra, _Dragon Pulse_!“ Raihan yelled, grinning.   
  
  
Leon’s eyes widened, obviously, because that move on Raihan’s Goodra was new. Raihan had made sure not to use it in the entire tournament up until now, so Leon would still be under the impression that his Goodra didn’t know any dragon type moves.   
  
The Pokemon’s attacks clashed, but Goodra’s Dragon Pulse was stronger.   
Dragapult was immediately put into a weakened state due to the strong super effective attack, while Goodra remained not quite unharmed, but okay thanks to the high special defense.   
  
It didn’t take long after that — Dragapult was defeated.   
  
Leon called it back without showing much emotion. Something about his expressions really bothered Raihan. Because Leon seemed determined, but he was making unusually poor battle choices.   
  
The champ’s next choice was Seismitoad.   
  
Raihan kept Goodra in the battle. He knew that Goodra likely wouldn’t be able to defeat Seismitoad with the damage it already had suffered, but he would still be able to put his opponent into a weakened enough state so Torkoal could simply end it with a Solar Beam.   
  
And that was exactly what happened.   
  
When Seismitoad went down, Leon already had his next Pokeball in his hands, sending out Aegislash.   
  
Raihan blinked. Wait, what?   
Why would he choose Aegislash?

Needless to say, Aegislash — While adding a lot of damage to Raihan’s Torkoal — Didn’t exactly stand a chance. Raihan frowned. Why would Leon make such a dumb choice?

It wasn’t until Leon was down to his Charizard and Raihan still had two Pokemon at full health left that he realized what was happening. Realized what the serious expression on Leon’s face really meant.   
  
Raihan’s eyes widened.   
  
_No._  
  
He wanted to stop the battle right there, but there was no reason for him to do so. If he were to give up now, everyone would be suspicious. The cheers were getting louder as Leon dynamaxed his Charizard. A sandstorm was slashing through the stadium, and Raihan’s Flygon growled.

He had no choice but to keep the battle going, but upon realizing what Leon was trying to do, he started to make poor battle choices on purpose as well.   
  
It was enough for Leon to defeat Flygon, but now everyone expected him to send out Duraludon and dynamax it.   
  
Raihan’s anger was written all over his face.   
  
About ten minutes later, without him really trying, Leon’s Charizard was defeated.

  
  
The cheers of the crowd became louder than ever before. A firework went up above him. Raihan turned his face away from the cameras. He flinched, noticing that multiple important people were already entering the battlefield to congratulate him. He turned around to face Leon, but Leon was leaving the battlefield.

  
_  
No.  
Not like this!_  
  
Raihan ran after Leon, completely ignoring the confused calls from the crowd as well as the cameras following him.   
  
„Leon!“ He nearly screamed, „Leon, _stop_! Get back here!!“

Leon had left the Stadium on his way to the locker rooms, but Raihan could still see him, and he was catching up.   
And finally, Leon stopped running away from him, turning around to face Raihan and say something, but he didn’t get that far.   
  
Because Raihan, blind with anger, grabbed Leon by his collar and punched him right across his face.   
  
  
„You let me win! You fucking _asshole_ let me win! Why?! Why did you— Do you think _this_ is what I wanted?! Do you really fucking think—“  
  
„Rai…“ Leon said weakly, shocked from being punched like that.   
  
„No! _You_ fucking listen to me! I’ve had it with you and your bullshit! You think you can do whatever the fuck you want, don’t you?! But I’m not taking the title, I won’t, I— Fuck—“  
  
Before Raihan could punch him one more time, there were suddenly security members, yelling and tearing him away from Leon. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rose walking up to them.   
  
„That’s quite enough, Raihan,“ the Chairman said.   
  
„Shut the fuck up, Rose! Let me go!“ Raihan yelled, struggling against the people trying to restrain him. Seeing Leon with a bloody nose was strangely satisfying to him.   
  
How dare he let him win. How fucking dare he…   
  
„Well, _champ_ ,“ Rose said, looking at Raihan, „There’s a lot to discuss, but I’d rather not talk to you in this state.“   
  
„I’m not the fucking champ,“ Raihan growled, „I’m not accepting the title. You can’t force me to!“

  
One of the security guards was helping Leon up and handing him a tissue. Leon didn’t say anything, and it made Raihan all the more mad.   
„Fucking say something, Leon!“   
  


Leon swallowed hard.   
„I— I just… I thought…“ He wanted to say something, but didn’t quite find the words.  
  
  
Rose sighed, looking at Leon now.   
„I clearly underestimated you, didn’t I?“ He said, „I underestimated how fucking _stupid_ you are. Fine. Do whatever you want. As long as there will be a Champion — Leave me out of your personal battles.“

  
Leon was quiet. Raihan slowly calmed down, mostly forcing himself because he wanted the guards to let go of him already. There was an awkward silence except for the crowd that was clearly audible in the distance.   
  
Rose reached for his cigarettes.   
He ordered the guards to leave them alone, then left as well.   
  
Raihan stared at Leon.   
Leon stared at the ground. 

„Rai… I’m sorry, please let me explain, I…“   
  
„No,“ Raihan said, „No. You don’t know what you’ve put me through. You don’t know what you’ve just _done_. You don’t know shit!“   
Fighting with tears at this point, he remembered all the years he’d tried to become champion, to beat Leon, and to finally tell him about his feelings.   
  
„And you don’t know anything either!“ Leon suddenly yelled, „I didn’t want it anymore! I was tired of it! And you always wanted to beat me, so—“

  
„I wanted to beat you in a _fair battle_!“ Raihan yelled back, getting angry again.   
  
  
Leon was caught off guard.   
He tensed.   
„I’m sorry,“ he choked out, „I’m sorry. I’m… Rose is right. I’m a fucking idiot, for thinking you ever loved me. And selfish on top of that, for thinking I could be with you if I just— just…“

Raihan’s eyes widened.   
He started shaking.   
„No. Don’t say it. Don’t fucking say it. I’m leaving. And I won’t take the title. Find someone else to play champ in your stead.“  


Holding back tears, he walked away.   
In his right pocket was the half of the Master Ball Leon had given to him so many years ago. He’d thought that today would be the day he would manage to talk to Leon.

  
  
To return it.


	13. 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things come and go. 
> 
> Some things can't start until something else has ended. 
> 
> And sometimes people just need time.

* * *

  
  
Raihan did not accept the title.   
  
Rose was absolutely furious. Because with Leon having lost and Raihan not accepting the title for _‚personal reasons‘,_ there was no champion. But before Rose could just force Raihan to resign from his job as a Gym Leader by threatening him with the proof he had, Raihan did it himself.   
  
„I admit that I haven’t been doing well. Mentally. I am not in a good enough condition to become champ of the Galar region, which is why I will not accept the title,“ Raihan said in an interview, „I will also resign from my position as Gym Leader of Hammerlocke. However, I will make sure to help find a replacement as soon as possible.“

He was strangely at peace with himself when he announced all of that to the public.   
It didn’t feel good, but it didn’t feel bad either. It felt like the right thing to do. Nothing that made him happy, but something that was absolutely necessary in order for him to one day recover from everything that had happened. Not what he wanted, but what he needed.  
  
Later that same day, Rose announced in an interview that Galar would be without a champion for the following year, and that the next champion would be determined with next years Gym Challenge in the final tournament.   
  
Raihan’s therapist was more than happy with his decision. Proud of him, even.   
  
„You’re finally understanding what this is all about,“ He’d said.   
  
„What?“ Raihan had asked, confused.   
  
„You,“ The guy had said, „It’s about you. None of this is about Leon, about Rose, about Pokemon battles or being Champ. It’s always been about you, and that’s how it’s supposed to be.“   
  
At first, Raihan had thought his therapist was calling him selfish. But then he realized that he wasn’t selfish _now_ , he’d been selfish _before_. The way he was now, caring about his well-being rather than anyone or anything else, that wasn’t selfish — That was the right thing to do. And while people would blame him for certain things either way, the important part was that he wasn’t blaming himself.   
  
It’s been a month since the ‚defeated‘ Leon.   
And they hadn’t talked ever since.   
  
With the difference that this time, Leon hadn’t tried to contact him. Raihan wondered if it was because he was ashamed of what he’d done, or if he’d just given up on him. Whatever it was, Raihan was okay with it. He’d accept it.   
  
It wasn’t like all of his issues were gone with a few realizations and some more therapy sessions. No, things were still hard. It was his current mindset that made it easier, but he was still having a hard time adjusting back to a normal life. Eating normally. Training his Pokemon. Doing anything productive at all. Trying not to be online all the time.   
  
Things didn’t change that quickly. Of course not.   
But acceptance was an important step. Acceptance was a start. Something he could go on from. His therapist had asked him to picture how he felt now, and he’d said,   
„It’s like there’s only been one road before, a road I didn’t even want to walk, but now it split into many. So many. I don’t know where to go. But it’s better than the one before.“   
  
Part of him still hated this cheesy therapy stuff.   
Half a year ago he would have rather jumped off a cliff than to say something like that.   
  
He’d started to hang out with Piers and Nessa more often. Which was kind of funny, because the two of them hadn’t really been friends before, it was just because they both cared about Raihan that the unlikely friendship had happened. And what a friendship it was. Piers and Nessa were about as different as day and night, but the more time they spent together, the more they started to understand things they had in common, besides being friends with Raihan.   
  
To Raihan’s surprise, Piers had started to become more outgoing.   
  
At some point, the dark type Gym Leader admitted that it was due to Raihan’s efforts that he’d felt inspired to do something about himself as well. Change his image a bit. Raihan was impressed. At this point, they were inspiring each other to be the best they could be.   
  
Some things didn’t change, of course. Eventually, he started sleeping around again, but he tried to keep it within the small circle of people he knew. Funny enough, A threesome between Nessa, Piers and him never happened, because while the other two had been growing into close friends, they somehow were sexually repelled from each other.   
  
Raihan was still working at the Hammerlocke Gym, despite not being Gym Leader anymore, but he’d decided that he’d only stay here until there would be a new Gym Leader. He didn’t want to stay in this Gym anymore, not even as a trainer. Actually, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay in Hammerlocke at all. He wasn’t originally from here, anyways. He considered moving back to Wyndon, but that would just mean to live close to — or worse, _with_ — his parents again, and he really was getting too old for shit like that.

  
Until Nessa suggested that he could move in with her, under the condition that their sexual adventures would stop, „Because I don’t do this kinda stuff with roommates,“ she’d said.   
  
Raihan was still thinking about it. Hulbury was a nice place. Not a very exciting city, but maybe the exact change of pace he needed.

„Alright guys, let’s clean up for today,“ Raihan announced.   
  
The daily training of the Hammerlocke Gym Trainers was done. Raihan was exhausted, and the Trainers had noticed, but they didn’t ask him about it. He’d told them not to. The mood in this Gym wasn’t the same anymore, because Raihan’s cheery attitude that usually kept everyone motivated was gone.   
  
Except it had never really been there in the first place. Raihan had just stopped faking it.   
  
It was another month later that he received a letter from Rose. It wasn’t anything personal however, not even mentioning the fact that they weren’t exactly on good terms. No, it was nothing but a formal letter—   
  
Suggesting Leon as the new Hammerlocke Gym Leader.   
  
Raihan swallowed hard.   
  
It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it before, as well. Who would be better for this job than the former champ himself? Raihan had been desperately trying to find someone worthy for the position, but most of the candidates couldn’t even beat him. And if they couldn’t beat him, then no way they would lead this Gym. But Leon could beat him. Leon could always beat him.   
  
It was just that Raihan wasn’t ready to see him.   
  
Ultimately, as the former Gym Leader, it would be his decision. Or so he told himself — If Rose really wanted to, he could make anything happen. Raihan sighed. One day someone would have to stop this man from getting mad with too much power. But that was a worry for another time.   
  
His phone buzzed.

  
  
_ Nessa _   
_I’m in Hammerlocke for shopping, wanna meet up with Sonia and me later?_

  
Right, Sonia. As in, Nessa’s new girlfriend. Raihan had almost forgotten about that. An odd couple, especially considering that Sonia had never been interested in girls before. But well, if they were happy, then he was happy for them, too.   
He stared at the letter in his hands. God, he really didn’t want to think about that right now.   
  
  
_Raihan_  
 _Why not. City Café?_  
  
  
 _Nessa_  
 _You’re reading my mind. Should we pick you up at the Gym?_

  
  
_Raihan_  
 _Yeah, I’ll be waiting_  
  
  
He spent a good hour going through annoying paperwork — Something that was usually done by one of his trusted Gym Trainers rather than himself — until the girls showed up. Upon seeing Sonia, he realized that he hadn’t seen her at all in… Such a long time.   
  
„Hey Rai,“ She said, smiling gently, „Doing well?“   
  
There was something about her that made Raihan a bit uncomfortable. It didn’t take him long to realize that it was the nostalgia. After all, Sonia had been doing the Gym Challenge together with Leon and him when they were little.   
  
„Kinda okay,“ He answered, but he knew that he looked tired.   
  
Nessa sighed and shook her head, then hit Raihan on the back, hard, making him cough.   
„Just say you’re not okay. C’mon, I want pancakes.“

Raihan actually hadn’t eaten much this day, and he wondered if he could get something besides sweet food at the café. Maybe some breakfast-type stuff. Anything that would go easy on his still very sensitive stomach. He’s been doing better, but stuff like pizza or sweets still made him kinda sick. 

On the way to the café, it was mostly the girls talking while Raihan was quietly listening and huffing out a laugh every now and then. He hadn’t actually been up to going out with anyone today. But sometimes he had to force himself. Because it was good for him, it always cheered him up and made him feel better. It was just hard sometimes to take a step into the right direction.   
  
When they entered the café, he actually enjoyed the sweet smell inside for once.   
He could do with some coffee right now.   
  
They sat down and briefly studied the menu. Nessa already knew she wanted pancakes, and apparently she was gonna share them with Sonia.   
  
Sonia tilted her head in confusion when Raihan ordered a bowl of yogurt with fruits.   
„Really? Yogurt?“ She asked.   
  
Nessa, knowing exactly why Raihan would order something like that at this time of the day, shot him a worried look. The look pretty much said, _‚You don’t have to tell her‘._   
  
But he didn’t really care.   
„I, uh, had an eating disorder. Or still have. But it’s gotten better. There’s just a lot of things I can’t eat without throwing up,“ he explained honestly.   
  
Sonia blinked.  
„Wow. Sorry for asking…“ She said, seeming a bit ashamed.   
  
„No, it’s no problem,“ He answered, leaning back in his chair, „Y’know, the whole world knows that I have problems of some sort. Might as well be open about them.“

Nessa smiled.  
She was glad. So glad that Raihan, while still not fully recovered from everything, seemed so much better already. Healthier. And so… content. It really seemed like he was finally accepting things as they were.   
  
Sonia sighed.   
„That’s a very good mindset to have. Wish Leon would think like that too and—“  
  
„Sonia!“ Nessa hissed, „Don’t!“

Raihan swallowed hard.   
„It’s okay,“ He said, but it was very noticeable that he was uncomfortable, „I can handle it. Actually, I wanted to talk to you guys about him anyways… I got a letter from Rose. He’s suggesting Leon to become the new Gym Leader of Hammerlocke.“

They both stared at him with wide eyes.   
  
Before they could say anything, the waiter appeared with their pancakes, the yogurt for Raihan and coffee for everyone. When he was gone again there was an awkward silence for a bit.   
  
  
„So… Are you gonna accept that?“ Nessa asked carefully.   
  
„I… I don’t know. Should I?“   
Raihan was unsure. He didn’t know what to think about it.   
„I mean… Is there anyone better suited for the job?“

Sonia looked worried.  
„To be honest,“ she said, „I don’t think Leon wants that.“   
  
_Oh._  
Raihan hadn’t even thought about that possibility, for whatever reason.   
What if Leon didn’t want this?   
  
He could feel his heartbeat speed up, starting to get nervous just because they were talking about Leon, and everything inside his mind screamed at him to not talk about Leon.   
„Why do you…“ He started a sentence, but had to take a deep breath before he was able to go on, „…think that Leon doesn’t want to be Gym Leader?“   
  


„It’s not that he doesn’t want to be a Gym Leader. It’s the fact that it’s _your_ spot, and also,“ She sighed, „He’s not doing well ever since, y’know.“

  
Nessa was oddly quiet. She kind of wanted to stop this conversation, because Raihan wasn’t supposed to give a shit about Leon. To feel sorry for him or anything. Raihan was supposed to put himself first. And she hoped that he would remember that, whatever the outcome might be.

  
„Oh,“ was Raihan’s only answer. 

  
_What did you expect?  
Of course he’s not doing well either.   
  
_  
„Well, I have to… Rose pretty much _ordered_ me to ask Leon whether he would take the position. Not sure if someone else can just do that for me,“ He explained.   
  
„No one is gonna force you to do anything that’s not good for you,“ Nessa quickly said, „I’m gonna kick Rose’s ass if I have to.“

Raihan quietly ate up his yogurt.

  
„I have to talk to him at some point,“ He said once he was done, „I need closure.“   
At least that’s what he’d realized in therapy. Never talking to Leon again wasn’t an option. There were too many things left unsaid. Too many emotions still bottled up.   
„So why not now.“

Sonia was twirling her hair with her fingers, frowning.   
„I’m sure he feels the same,“ She finally said, „About wanting to talk to you. And needing closure. I just don’t know if you’re seeking for the same outcome.“   
  
Raihan looked at her, trying to read her expression. Obviously, she was close with Leon, knowing more about the situation from Leon’s side. And he hated himself for it, but the way Sonia looked at him, the sheer pain in her eyes — from knowing that her friends were hurt, but not knowing how to help — It made him feel sorry. He knew he shouldn’t feel sorry for her, or worse, for Leon.

„Well, Rai,“ Nessa said, mouth full with pancakes, „You better don’t do anything stupid. Like, y’know. _Punching him_.“

Raihan snorted. The fact that he’d punched Leon had been all over the news back then, thanks to the stupid cameras that had followed him. Raihan had never mentioned in interviews that Leon had let him win. He’d just apologized, called it something personal he didn’t want to talk about. It was also another reason for him to quickly resign from his Gym Leader position.   
  
Leon had done the same, calling it a personal issue and never answering questions about it. He did mention in interviews however that he wasn’t angry at Raihan.

„Don’t worry,“ Raihan said, smiling weakly, „I won’t.“

* * *

He’d felt absolutely unable to call Leon, so instead, he’d texted him. And Leon replied almost too quickly. Raihan had asked if he could come over to Wyndon because he needed to talk, and Leon agreed, saying that he had time in the evening.

It made his heart beat hard and fast. Fuck, he was nervous.   
  
Things between them had escalated in such a fucking bad way. He wasn’t mad anymore. No, he didn’t care anymore about what Leon had done. Yes, he still had to kind of find a new purpose to his fucking life, but in the end, he realized that defeating Leon had stopped being his purpose long ago.   
  
He’d lost his way a long time ago without really noticing it.   
  
So no matter what Leon would have done, he would’ve still ended up exactly where he was now.

He’d learned to think about things in a different light, and it had greatly helped him with controlling his anger. It would be fine. All he needed now was closure.   
_  
Closure…_  
  
He turned the Master Ball half in his hands.   
Then let it fall into his pocket again.

He’d taken a flying taxi to Wyndon and was strolling through the city a bit, checking out some clothes and merchandise stores to kill time. He was surprised that there were still at least two kids who wanted his autograph. They didn’t care that he wasn’t a Gym Leader anymore. But most of the people just took a glance at him, recognized him, and then chose to ignore him. He wasn’t sure whether he liked it or not.   
  
He walked all the way to Leon’s apartment. He could see from outside that the lights in the living room were on, so Leon was home. Hesitating, he reached for the doorbell.   
  
No turning back now. He had to do this.   
  
The doorbell rang, and few seconds later, Leon opened up.   
  
Raihan didn’t dare to look at him at first. He wasn’t ready to see Leon hurt because of… him. Because obviously, he’d hurt his feelings, right? Didn’t he?   
  
But when he looked up and saw a gentle smile on Leon’s face, he was taken aback.

„Hey,“ Leon said.   
  
„H-Hey.“   
  
Leon held the door open for him. They went to the living room. Raihan felt bad because the last few times he’d been here, it had been for sex and nothing else. Just thinking about that made him sick right now. Of course, his attraction to Leon was still there. Some things didn’t change that easily. But he’d chosen to just… ignore it.   
  
„Want something to drink?“ Leon asked, a bit awkwardly.   
  
„No,“ Raihan said, „I’m good. Can we just— Can we just talk?“

It was obvious that they were both uncomfortable. But they also both knew that they needed to talk things out. That the whole situation between them couldn’t just go on like that.

„Yeah,“ Leon said quietly, and proceeded to sit down on the couch.   
  
Raihan sat down on a chair on the opposite.

„You wanna start?“ Leon asked.   
  
„I don’t know where,“ Raihan answered honestly, „But— Actually, yeah, let me start. I’m… I’m sorry.“  
  
Leon’s eyes widened.   
„What?“   
  
Raihan gritted his teeth.   
„I said I’m sorry, for—“  
  
„No, Rai— Raihan, what the fuck are you sorry for?“ Leon interrupted him, „You’re not supposed to apologize. I’m the one who—“

  
  
„Leon, I fucking punched you and everyone knows about it,“ Raihan said, then sighed deeply, „If you’re gonna let me start, then at least listen. Look, you know what you did wrong. And I can tell you’re sorry without you even saying it. You know that defeating you was kind of my life purpose, and you… Took that away.“   
  
He paused for a moment, then went on.   
„But I realized that defeating you… Wasn’t my purpose anymore. For such a long time already. I’ve given up on it long ago. I just refused to believe it, pretending that I was still trying.“   
  
Leon listened quietly, then took a deep breath.   
„I should be the one who’s sorry, and you know that,“ He said quietly, „I was selfish. I thought that I could—“  
  
„Don’t,“ Raihan said quickly, maybe a little too quickly, „Don’t say _that_ again. Please. Actually, I want— I want to return something to you.“

His hand was shaking as he reached into his pockets, pulling out the half of the Master Ball.   
  
Leon recognized it immediately. Shock was written all over his face, and he looked at Raihan, and back at the Master Ball.

„You… what?“ He asked weakly. Raihan handed it to him.

  
  
„I want to return it. As a symbolic way of telling you— Of telling you— Closure, I just— I want closure. I _need_ closure. I need whatever was between us to be over and done with. Leon, I… I need to move on.“   
  
Leon stared at the Ball.  
And Raihan had expected a lot, but not for Leon to fight with sudden tears in his eyes. Fuck. No. Why? Why was Leon close to crying?!

Leon proceeded to put the half on the table in front of him, then hid his face in his hands.   
„I’m… I’m sorry. I’m sorry Raihan. I shouldn’t be the one— No. Just…“ 

Raihan swallowed hard.

„Leon?“  
  
Leon slowly looked up at him. His eyes looked a little red, and he looked hurt, so hurt.   
„You still don’t get it, do you? You still think that… that I wasn’t serious? That I’m just toying with you? Or do you really hate me that much?“   
  
Flinching, Raihan looked away.  
„That’s— I don’t hate you,“ he said.   
  
„Then why do you think I could accept this?“ Leon asked, obviously meaning the Master Ball, „Are you saying you want me completely out of your life?“   
  
  
_Yes.  
  
No.   
_  
  
„It’s just… It would be for the better,“ Raihan said, slowly fighting with the burning sensation in his eyes as well. Fuck no, he wasn’t going to cry. 

„Tell me honestly, please,“ Leon said, „Do you think I wasn’t serious when I told you that I loved you?“

_  
Yes.  
_

_No.  
_  
  
„I don’t know,“ Raihan breathed out.   
  
It was quiet between them for a few seconds.   
Then Leon briefly closed his eyes and shook his head.   
  
„I’m not taking it back,“ He said.   
  
Raihan started shaking a little.   
„Why?“ He asked, and suddenly got louder, „Why can’t you just accept that this is what I need?! You said you’re sorry for being selfish, but— Why would you even love someone like me! I’m not fucking worth it! I’m not worth anything! Leon, for fucks sake, you could have _anyone_ out there, why _me_?!“

But Leon didn’t even flinch despite Raihan yelling at him like that.   
He looked sad.   
  
„Why anyone _but_ you?“

And that was when something broke inside Raihan, and a few tears rolled over his face. He quickly wiped them into his sleeves. Didn’t say anything. Didn’t know what to say.   
  
And suddenly it hit Leon.   
„You don’t hate me,“ He said, „You’re… Scared?“

There was a lump in Raihan’s throat. He felt like he was barely able to choke out another word. But Leon was right. He was nothing but scared. Scared of being a failure, scared of being not enough, scared of commitment.   
Instead of answering, he nodded.   
  
And suddenly, Leon was smiling weakly.   
„I’m sorry. Raihan— Rai. Would you please keep the Master Ball? I kept mine too, y’know. It’s… it’s important to me.“   
  
Raihan was staring at the floor.   
  
He wanted to say something, but Leon went on.   
„I didn’t fall for you because you started sleeping with me. I loved you long ago already. You just changed so much, I barely recognized you anymore. Didn’t quite… _see_ you anymore. I thought the fact that you’ve changed so much would have changed my feelings as well. But I… was wrong.“   
  
„Leon, please stop,“ Raihan choked out.

„You’re hurt. You need time to heal. I… I see that now. I guess I need some more time as well. I’m sorry, Raihan, I’m really, really sorry. For everything,“ Leon said.   
  
Raihan was quietly crying into his hands, hiding his face the same way Leon had done it earlier.   
  
„Stop saying you’re sorry. Fuck, _I_ should be sorry. It’s not that I— That I didn’t take you seriously. I was just scared. I didn’t want to accept it because I was fucking scared. I still am, Leon,“ He said, sounding desperate, „What the fuck do you even want with a wreck like me?“   
  
Leon didn’t answer, instead he got up from his chair. Raihan jumped up as well and backed away immediately.   
„Don’t—“  
  
But he couldn’t stop Leon from pulling him into a hug.   
  
Shaking, he gave in.   
He pulled his arms around Leon, and it felt like the right thing to do.   
And suddenly he was clinging to him like his life depended on it.   
  
  
„If you need time,“ Leon said, „I’ll wait.“

„What?“ Raihan breathed out.   
  
„I’ll wait,“ Leon repeated, „Until you feel better. Until you finally see what you’re worth. Unless— Unless you don’t want me no matter what, if that’s—“

He stopped because Raihan’s grip on him tightened.   
  


„Rai?“

„I used to love you,“ Raihan blurted out, „And I don’t know if I still do. Maybe I do. But I’m not in a state to love anyone, Leon. Even if I wanted to. It’s not like I don’t want you— I just— I just can’t.“

„Can I kiss you?“ Leon asked suddenly.   
  
Raihan broke away from him, staring at him in disbelief.   
  
„Just once. Just one kiss. I’m not asking you to fuck me, Rai, just one kiss. And only if you’re okay with it,“ Leon explained, but he blushed in the process, looking away shyly, cursing under his breath.   
  
Raihan was tense, but then he nodded.  
„Just once,“ he said.   
  
He wasn’t sure what to expect. But Leon tried to smile — a lousy excuse for a smile, considering how broken they both were at the moment — and stepped closer again.   
  
Raihan leaned down, a bit nervous, and then their lips were touching.   
Both of them shivered for a moment. Neither wanted to break away. Leon suddenly pulled Raihan closer again, hugging him while kissing him. Raihan wanted to cry again, but these emotions weren’t too bad. This kind of intimacy wasn’t bad. No, the absolute opposite. He craved it.

  
  
He craved Leon.

  
  
Breathing heavily, they finally broke away from each other.   
It was like they both had wanted this one kiss to last forever.   
  
Leon didn’t say anything, instead he looked for a sign in Raihan’s expression, something that would tell him that things would somehow be alright. But then Raihan spoke up.   
  
  
„You… You would wait?“

* * *

Many months later, Raihan’s life had turned completely upside down.   
  
Leon, despite what Sonia had said, had accepted the position as Gym Leader of Hammerlocke.   
  
Right after that, Raihan moved to Hulburry, sharing an apartment with Nessa now. He never slept with her anymore of course, That was over. And while he was still fooling around with Piers sometimes, his mind was always somewhere else. With someone else.   
  
He was recovering, slowly but steadily. Regaining his confidence.   
Not going back to who he used to be, but rather becoming a new person entirely.   
  
Battles weren’t his job anymore. Instead, thanks to his still relevant internet fame, he’d found a job at one of Galar’s most popular magazines, working as a photographer and writing articles. And lately he’d even gotten in charge of the company’s social media appearance.   
  
It was so different from everything he’d ever imagined himself doing, but it was good. It was fun. He actually loved what he was doing. Of course, he still had the occasional Pokemon battles. His Pokemon would get upset otherwise, and he enjoyed a good battle every now and then.

He wasn’t avoiding Leon anymore.   
  
Well, he wasn’t actively trying to hang out with him either, but at least they were able to normally talk to each other. They never talked about their feelings for each other, because Leon knew that whenever Raihan was ready, he would say it.   
  
And Raihan was determined.  
He would be ready at some point.   
He wouldn’t let Leon wait forever.

  
  
He would return the half one day, not with the intention of putting an end to something, but with the intention of bringing the halves back together.


End file.
